Playlist (or The Lonestar Mutant)
by aggiefrogger
Summary: Jerry Mathews, an Autistic teen, discovers his mutation and moves to the Institute. See how he grows as a person, and how he touches the lives of those around him, whether he means to or not. First X-Men FF, so enjoy! Rated T for some language, violent situations, and traumatic past experiences. Note: Takes place after the end of the Show. I do NOT own X-Men at ALL!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, Readers!**

**I had posted this earlier, but removed it for personal reasons. It's back now, with a few changes, and I hope y'all like them.**

**Also, I'm only posting the first five chapters to start; depending on the reception they receive, then I'll decide if I'll post the rest of the story or not.**

**Thanks for your support, and peace out!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own X-Men or X-Men: Evolution in ANY way, shape or form.**

* * *

**Preparations:**

"Why do I get the feelin' that this new kid's gonna be different from the others," Logan queried, glancing at the Professor with a frown.

"In a way, you're right," Charles Xavier answered, pulling up the young man's file for the rest of the faculty to see. "Jerry is physically 14, but his mental age is closer to Jamie's age. However, he _is_ exceptionally bright, and will be attending the high school as a junior, despite his age."

"It says here he has Asperger's," Hank commented, raising his bushy blue eyebrows as he scanned the kid's medical information. "He'd be the first student here with a mental disability besides a mutation."

"What _is_ his mutation," Ororo, aka Storm, asked, looking at the photo of the newest student, who was wearing a pair of heavy, bulky earphones.

"According to his parents, it appears he has some sort of psychic ability," Xavier answered. "His parents told me he's always had a vivid imagination, but now it appears that they can manifest themselves into reality if he focuses hard enough or when his emotions spike. Unfortunately, they found out about Jerry's mutation when he was attacked by bullies at school. He… created something that pulled them off of him, giving them all whiplash and sending them to the hospital with several broken bones, not to mention damaged the surrounding hallway."

"Oh my!"

"After that, his parents say that random stuff would sometimes appear around him, then fade away shortly after, mostly when Jerry asked them to. They even say that he sometimes purposefully creates things. It's most unusual for his mutation to activate earlier than most, given his age, but his Autism may be a contributing factor. His mutation also appears to be tied to his emotions, which means he may sometimes overreact to the littlest disturbance with his abilities if he gets too upset, like what happened at the school."

"Well, good thing he's comin' here, right," Wolverine cut in, looking at the files as well. "But how the hell are we supposed to help him if his dreams come to life?"

"They don't _always_ come to life, Logan, but Hank will be working with the boy's mental facilities, since he's our Institute's in-house counselor and doctor." The other faculty members turned to the large mutant, who nodded his head in acknowledgement. "And of course, we will all be helping him control his abilities as well."

"I do not recall you mentioning that you've found this mutant," Erik spoke up. "Nor do I recall you going to Texas in the past few months."

"Because I didn't find him. Mr. and Mrs. Mathews made the first contact with me, and we video chatted, to assure them that the Institute was real. They'd seen what we did on the news with Apocalypse, so when they asked if we could help their son, I said yes."

Erik's eyes widened. "So you've never met Jerry in real life? That's not like you, Charles."

"Nor via video call. Even over a phone call, he's nervous about talking to strangers; especially a mutant like himself. But, regardless of how he was found, he's going to be a new member of the Institute and the X-Men. Any other questions?" The table was silent, and Charles smiled. "Well then, I think it's settled, then. In four days, Jerry Mathews will be a new student at the member of the Xavier Institute."

* * *

The mutant students, now including the Brotherhood, were confused at being called into the main living room that evening; dinner was over, and Professor Xavier never called a sudden meeting without telling them. Even Jean and Scott, who were still adjusting to their new rolls as teacher assistants, were surprised that they weren't informed about the meeting sooner.

"You know what this is about," Sam whispered to Kitty and Ray.

"I dunno. Did Bobby or Todd do anything crazy again?"

"Hey," the two boys chorused indignantly, glaring at them from one of the couches. "Why is it always us that get blamed?"

"Who _else_ would it be," Jubilee replied, amusing herself and Jamie by making small fireworks appear at her fingertips. "But I don't think any of us are in trouble, since the teachers are here too; it probably means it's gonna be something the Professor wants all of us to hear."

"So ya squirts better listen up," Logan growled, sliding into the seat next to the girl, who quickly stopped making sparkles appear. Once, she'd accidentally set Logan's hair on fire, and she wasn't anxious to repeat the trick. A few moments later, the bald mutant rolled his chair to the front of the room, which waited with anticipation for him to speak.

"None of you are in trouble," he started, and the room erupted into a brief lapse of relieved sighs and small cheers. "However, there is something I wish to discuss with you all." He took a deep breath before continuing. "As some of you may know, we have a new student that will be joining us in a few days."

The room erupted into murmurs and gasps, the students looking at each other as they absorbed this bit of news. It was always interesting whenever someone new showed up, though they hadn't had anyone arrive in the past few months. Eventually, Bobby raised his hand.

"Yes, Bobby?"

"What's wrong with them, Professor?"

"Bobby," Professor Ororo snapped, glaring at the boy. "Don't you-"

"It's fine, Professor," Xavier said, while Bobby looked down at his lap, embarrassed. "I can understand where he's coming from. We don't usually announce the arrival of a new student this way, so you're probably wondering about who is coming to stay with us." A few of the teens nodded. "Well that is precisely what I wanted to talk to you all about. His name is Jerry Mathews, and he's from Brenham, Texas."

Rogue, from her seat in the back, straightened a little at that comment. Being from Louisiana, it was a little comforting and surprising to hear that someone else from the South would soon be joining them. Remy had disappeared a while ago, and while she wouldn't admit it out loud, she missed hearing a Southern accent. She quickly slouched back down, before anyone saw that she cared.

"He has a unique ability that allows him to make his imagination a reality, but it has its limitations; for instance, he cannot directly affect or control another living being, and he cannot read minds or do traditional telekinesis."

Jean raised her hand. "But that's not why you called us here, did you Professor?"

The man nodded; Jean's telekinetic abilities were growing every day, and it was starting to be a bit of a struggle to keep her out of his own mind. "Yes, Miss Grey. Besides his mutation, Jerry also has Autism. Asperger's Syndrome, to be exact."

Most of the students, especially the younger ones and the Brotherhood, looked confused, but Jubilee gasped loudly, her eyes going wide. "I know what that is," she exclaimed, all eyes on her now as they waited for an explanation. "My neighbor back home had Asperger's; he was good friends with my family."

"Well, then, would you like to explain to everyone who may not know what that is?"

"Sure! Autism's a mental disorder that's usually categorized by difficulty with communication and social interaction. They also like staying on strict daily routines, and don't like it when things change too suddenly. There's a whole spectrum of Autism, from low to high functioning, and Asperger's is at the top of the high functioning." She glanced at the professor. "Does that mean he's super smart?"

"Not all Asperger's individuals are smart, but in this case, you are correct, which is why he's going to be taking high school courses, even though he should be in middle school. Jerry also has specialized knowledge on certain subjects, but is clueless or unable to understand others; especially with socializing and communicating. While we can effectively talk with one another and even read emotions and body language, he is unable to do so accurately, and is often awkward and shy around other people."

Kurt raised his hand. "So… he's different? On ze inside?"

"We're _all_ different," Lance cut in, rolling his eyes a little.

"But Jerry more so," Hank McCoy cut in, stepping forward a little to address the group. "Yes, our mutations make us different, but we are still fully-functional human beings. Somethings you all do on a normal basis is completely foreign to him, and vice versa. He won't act like the rest of us; he won't look anyone in the eyes, nor shake hands when meeting you, and he'll often either be eerily quiet and vacant, or ramble on about a given subject for minutes at a time."

"Well put, Hank," Charles cut in. "Which is why I wanted to prepare you all for when he arrives. Especially when meeting new people, we don't want to startle him or make him feel any more uncomfortable than he already is."

"Professor," Rogue spoke up from the back, and everyone turned to look at the girl, who quickly crossed her arms and glared at them to hide her curiosity. "You said earlier that his power is to make his imagination come to life. Does that mean we always have to be nice to him or else he'll hurt us?" The students turned back to the man, waiting to hear his response.

"No, Rogue, it does not. Yes, when he becomes emotional at times, he may accidentally strike out, but everyone here did the same when they were first coming to terms with their mutations. This will be no different from any new student, and I encourage you all to treat our new ward with respect and decency. And also, he had dealt with bullying in the past, so I will say here and now that we will not tolerate any pranks or harassment towards him." He put a stern tone in his statement, wanting them to make sure that they understood how serious the situation was.

"Yes, Professor," they chorused.

"Where will he be sleeping," Scott asked, the light from the ceiling fan reflecting off his red glasses.

"Kurt has an extra bed in his room, so he will be rooming there. And Kurt," he added, looking at the surprised mutant, "he is also Catholic, so he will be going with you, Scott and Wanda to Mass on Sundays."

"R-Really," the blue boy asked, a smile crossing his face. Wanda also looked up, a small smile on her face as well.

Charles smiled. "Yes. Now off to bed with you all; there will be some more information later tomorrow, but for now, I want you all to do your best to make sure Jerry's first impressions here are good."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Favorite and follow if you want more, and drop a review if you wish!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh yeah, this takes place after the end of the cartoon series, but features events and such from today. **

**Also, if anyone's confused about the title, I'll discuss it in a later chapter.**

**See Chapter One for Disclaimer.**

* * *

**The Piano Man:**

Jerry leaned against the window of the rental car, listening to Elton John through his headphones as he watched the scenery pass outside.

New York state was different from Brenham, Texas. A lot different. It was greener, and had a lot of different types of trees. It was also a lot colder as well; it was eighty or ninety degrees in Texas, but it was a cool sixty up here, and the young man was wearing a light coat and pants, not used to cold this early in the year. There were also more clouds in the sky, blocking the sun, so he didn't have to squint his eyes when he looked at the sky. He looked over at the empty seat next to him; his parents were in the front seats, and his luggage was in the back, so he had the whole middle seat to himself.

He stretched out his legs (which was hard to do, since he wasn't allowed to stretch out across the seat), and continued to listen to his music. Music was the only thing the Mathews' had discovered that helped the boy calm down and focus, especially during drastic changes in his life. And moving over 1100 miles to another state, his family not being readily available was a pretty big change. But Mr. and Mrs. Mathews knew it was for the best.

It was more for Jerry's safety than their own that they'd said yes to Professor Xavier's offer after they contacted him; they'd seen them on the news fighting some monster called Apocalypse, and through Mrs. Mathew's connections they got the number to the school. Their only son was… _special_, but the man had assured them that he and the other students would be fine. They knew their son would be trained to fight and defend himself (along with the world), but if it meant he could learn to control his powers, they were fine with it.

Jerry knew none of this, of course. All he knew was that he was going somewhere else, he was meeting new people that were mutants, like him, and that he could now make things that he thought of appear in real life. Sometimes, they were physical objects, like the tiny stress ball he sometimes made appear. Sometimes, he made stuff appear when he didn't mean to, which is why his parents were sending him to this school; they said that they could help him control his powers, and he readily agreed.

Feeling the seat vibrate ever so slightly, he turned to find his mom tapping the seat near his knees. "We're here," she said, and the young man read her lips, having grown used to people talking whenever he listened to his music. Pausing his music, he looked out the other window and saw that they were driving up the long driveway towards a large mansion with two stories, surrounded by large green lawns. Jerry had never seen a mansion before, and was excited that he was getting to live in one.

"Is this it," he asked as they passed a large fountain with water shooting high into the sky. He took off his headphones, letting them hang around his neck, pausing the music on his phone.

"Sure is," his dad answered. Eventually, they reached the front of the school, where two people were waiting for them. One was a bald man in a wheelchair who looked smart, and the other was a woman with white hair even though she looked pretty young. Jerry shied back away from their side of the car, getting out the other side and looking at the ground, tracing his hand over the metal material of the car. Even though they looked kind, he was still nervous about meeting new people, and it wasn't until his mother's hand grabbed his that he walked around the car, slowly lifting his gaze up, though he still avoided eye contact.

"Hello, Jerry," the man said in a kind voice, not offering a hand to shake but Jerry didn't mind. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier and this is Professor Ororo."

"Nice to meet you," the teen said, nodding at each of them in turn.

"Welcome to the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, Jerry," the woman said, her voice deep and soothing. "We're so glad you've come to live here with us. The others are excited to miss you."

Jerry nodded, looking at a brick in the wall above the woman's shoulders. "Yeah, I'm here."

"Hi," he heard his mom say graciously, and heard his parents shaking hands with the two teachers. "We're Mr. and Mrs. Mathews."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," the wheelchair man answered. "I understand, however, that you can't stay for very long?"

"Yes," Jerry's dad answered. "Marjorie's got a big meeting back home we can't miss, and Ellie's still at home with a babysitter. This is just a rental; we're flying out of JFK tonight."

"You can't fly out of a president," the boy interrupted, his leg shaking slightly as he examined how tall the building was. "He's a human, and he's dead. He's in Heaven now, with God, right Mama?"

"Right," his mom said. "Which reminds me, is there going to be someone who will take him on Sundays-"

"Oh yes, Scott has volunteered to take Jerry to mass on Sundays. Scott, Kurt and Wanda are Catholic as well, so they'll be joining him. Kurt will also be Jerry's roommate, so they'll probably become best friends in no time."

"That's great! Well, we better unload the suitcases. Jerry, do you want to help us?"

"Not really, but I know you want me to," the young man answered, and he immediately went to the car, opened it, and started to pull out his two suitcases and one duffel bag. "Finished."

"Th… Thank you," his dad said, walking over to him and grabbing the two large suitcases while Jerry grabbed the duffle bag.

"Well if you'll follow us, please" Professor Ororo said, turning and heading up the steps to the front door while Professor Xavier went up a nearby ramp. The small family followed them into the main hall, which was large and featured a grand staircase leading up to the second floor. The boy stared in amazement at the mansion, still amazed that he would now be living here; it looked more than ten times as big as his house at home.

Eventually, they reached a large living room full of couches, comfy chairs, and a large plasma screen TV on the wall. Large windows illuminated the room, and a grand piano sat in the corner of the room, collecting dust.

"If you'll wait here, Jerry," Professor Xavier said, indicating to the one of the sofas, "Ororo and I would like to speak with your parents before they leave."

"Cool," the boy said, going over to his side of the room and putting his duffel bag on the coffee table, sitting down on the couch.

"Here you go," his dad finally said, leaving the bags by the doorway. "All good, sport. You can unpack them after we leave."

"We'll be back in a bit, okay, honey," his mom asked.

"Okay." He put on his headphones, pressing play on the app and resuming his music. About a minute later, he turned around, finding that the adults had left him alone. The boy sat for a few more minutes on the couch, staring at the new room around him. It looked fancy, like the rest of the mansion, and the afternoon sun streamed in through the windows. Eventually, he got up, going over to the grand piano.

It was obvious that no one had used it in a while; a fine layer of dust covered the keys, along with the top of the instrument. Jerry, still listening to his music, wanted to play it, but knew his mom would get upset if he got himself dirty. So, focusing on the grand instrument, a small rag appeared, zooming over the surface of the piano at lightning speed, leaving it clean a few seconds later. Smiling, he sat down on the bench, tracing his finger along the keys before finally pressing one; he couldn't hear the sound, but he knew what sound the key made, having memorized the notes long ago.

Jerry pressed a few more keys, mimicking the music pumping through his headphones; he had an uncanny ability of being able to play any music he heard, and it was something he had long before his mutation. The best reason he like Elton John was because, at the end of the day, he was a piano player, and that was something the boy was good at. A new song started playing in his headphones, and he started to play along with the music, vaguely hearing the actual piano in the background. He soon lost himself in the song, humming along with the singer as he played. Eventually, during a break in the singing, the teen looked around, checking to see if he was alone. He was. So, turning back to the piano, he started to focus, letting his imagination take over.

..

"I assure you, Mr. and Mrs. Mathews," Charles Xavier said, rolling around from his desk and looking at the nervous parents, "that Jerry will be perfectly safe here, and we are well equipped with any needs he may need."

The woman smiled at him. "Thank you, Professor Xavier. It's just… tough, to say the least. Jerry's our only son, and-"

"I can imagine," Professor Ororo cut in, smiling as well. "I don't have any children, but I have a nephew, Evan, who also goes here to the Institute, and I understand the pain of saying goodbye to someone you love."

"Speaking of which," Mr. Mathews cut in, looking at his watch, "we should be going. Mary and I both have conventions to get to, and we need to reach JFK by six."

"I understand." Charles opened the door to the office, and they could all suddenly hear the distant sound of a piano playing.

"Jerry," his mother muttered, rushing into the hallway, quickly followed by the others. As they drew towards the living room, the music grew louder, and they could hear singing as well. They all stopped in the doorway, staring open-mouthed at the scene in front of them.

Jerry was playing the piano, his fingers expertly pounding the keys to some slow, gospel-like song. However, he, the piano, and most of the room's objects were all floating in midair, as if they were in space. The four adults weren't affected by the lack of gravity, but were still scared to enter the room. Ororo cautiously touched a potted plant that floated by, which started to float off in a different direction. Their amazement and shock only deepened when they noticed that the boy wasn't singing, yet someone else was.

They'd arrived at the final part of the song, and as the boy played the last few notes, the objects slowly started to descended, landing gently on the ground in their original positions. The piano, along with its player, descended as well, gently settling onto the ground. Jerry played the final note, exhaling and taking off his headphones, a small grin on his face.

"J-Jerry," his mom stammered.

The teen whirled around with surprise, staring at the four adults for a few seconds before lowering his gaze.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, quickly getting up from the bench and immediately heading back to the couch where he was originally sitting. "I know I didn't have permission to touch it, but I was listenin' to music, and-"

"It's perfectly alright, Jerry," the Professor said kindly, rolling towards the boy. "I daresay that piano's been out of use for quite sometime, and your skills are amazing for someone your age."

The boy started to pick at the knee of his jeans. "Th-Thank you, sir. I've been playing since I was five."

"Jerry," his father called, quickly getting over his shock and walking over towards the kid with Mrs. Mathews. "We… We're gonna be headin' out now. We have a plane to catch."

The teen nodded. "Okay."

"We're gonna miss you," his mom said, kneeling in front of her son, reaching out her hand so her son could see it. Eventually, he slowly grabbed it, squeezing it tightly. It was his way of saying goodbye, and his mom felt a few tears trickle from her eyes as she lightly squeezed his hand back. "I love you, Jerry."

"I love you too, Mama," he said back, still picking at his jeans with his free hand. "I love you too, Dad."

"L-Love you too, Buddy," his father replied, slowly walking over to join his wife, holding and squeezing her free hand, making a human chain of sorrow and love. Charles and Ororo watched the silent scene, a little sad, but moved by the silent expression of love. Eventually, Mrs. Mathews stood up, slowly let go of her son's hand, and quickly left the room, before she lost her cool and started bawling. She was quickly followed by Mr. Mathews, who quietly thanked the Professor, and was followed by Ororo, who saw them to their car. That left Charles in the room with Jerry, who was now fiddling with the headphones around his neck.

"It's okay," the boy spoke up suddenly. "I'll see them at Christmas, and I'll email and video chat them every week."

"I understand, Jerry," the man said. "If you ever do feel homesick, just let Ororo or I, or any of the other instructors know."

The kid nodded, his head moving in an almost exaggerated motion. "Okay."

"Now," Charles continued, "I don't want you to move into your room yet; Kurt and the others will be coming home from school soon, and they were anxious to meet you. I thought Kurt and the others could show you around the mansion, starting with your room. But for now, you can continue to play the piano, if you wish."

Jerry nodded again. "Okay."

The Professor still had many questions he wanted to ask the kid, mainly about his gifts, but refrained. He could tell that the kid was tired and wanted to be left alone (a quick look in his mind confirmed this, so he decided to excuse himself, resolving to tell the new recruit the rules later that evening. However, he gave the boy one last look as he left the room, knowing that this kid was going to be something different, but in a good way.

* * *

Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Todd, Lance, Fred, Tabitha and Ray pulled up in front of the Institute, and everyone quickly exited the car. Those of them that could drive took turns driving the others to and from school, and unfortunately for the teens' stomachs, it was Tabitha's turn today.

"Nevah again," Rogue grumbled, clutching her stomach as she took a deep breath of fresh air. "_Nevah! Again!_"

"I just vant ze vorld to stop spinning," Kurt said, hitting his image inducer that removed the holo-disguise he always wore. Even though mutants were no longer a secret, he was still a little self-conscious about his appearance at school, not to mention his appearance scared most people.

"Well _that_ was fun," Tabitha exclaimed brightly, nudging the door closed with her foot. "But I've worked up quite an appetite! Who's up for a snack?"

"I'm gonna be sick," Fred answered, rushing into the mansion and nearly knocking over Professor Xavier, who was wheeling towards the front door. Todd, Lance, Ray and Kitty quickly followed, nearly trampling each other to reach the nearest restroom.

"I assume Tabitha drove you home today," he asked, smiling a little.

"Y-Yes," Kurt replied, earning a harsh glance from Tabitha, who strutted towards the kitchen with her head in the air. "But at least Rogue and I have strong stomachs."

"It'll take more than that tah get me sick," the girl said proudly, rubbing her forehead with a gloved hand.

Xavier chuckled. "I'm sure it will. I wanted to let you all know that Jerry has arrived. I thought that you could show him where your room is, and give him a tour of the mansion."

"Awesome! Vhere is he," Kurt demanded excitedly.

"In the living room, but-"

"Thanks!" And with that, Kurt immediately vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Ah'll get him," Rogue grumbled, stalking off towards the living room. "He bettah not scare tha' new kid too badly."

"Or that Jerry doesn't scare him," the Professor said seriously, rolling after her.

..

Kurt appeared in the living room, a little disoriented for a second before focusing on the room around him, yelping with surprise.

He was floating in midair, along with most of the items in the room as well. The mutant twisted around, trying to get back to the floor but he couldn't, watching as a painting and vase floated nearby. It was then that he noticed the music, and turned towards the piano.

A kid (he assumed it was Jerry; he'd never seen the boy before) was floating near the piano, playing it with expert skill, singing along with the music. The furry mutant noticed that the boy wore a pair of thick headphones; they looked like those hunting muffs that Logan sometimes wore when he wanted peace and quiet, but these were clearly made for music. Nightcrawler couldn't see the boy's face, but he could tell the teen was concentrated on the music, his head bent over the keys.

Suddenly, the door banged open behind them, and the second pair of overhead lights came on. The floating mutant turned to find Rogue and Professor Xavier, both of them staring open-mouthed at the scene in front of them.

Jerry started, the light and slam startling him back to reality. Giving a sharp cry, the music abruptly stopped, and everything immediately fell to the floor with a crash, the loudest being the piano. The legs of the instrument snapped, and the instrument fell forward, nearly falling on the new teen, who rolled out of the way. The echo of the keys rang in the room, fading away a few moments later.

Kurt and Jerry stood up, staring at the living room around them. Fortunately, the other furniture was still intact, though a few potted plants and paintings were strewn about, and a broken vase lay in pieces by Kurt's feet.

Jerry looked up fearfully at the Professor, his breathing starting to quicken. His eyes traveled to Rogue, who surveyed the area silently, and then at Kurt. He backed away a little, but didn't scream, though he looked like he would any second. His hands were shaking, and some of the items on the ground started to shake.

"Jerry," Charles said quickly, sensing the distress and rolling over towards the boy, "it's not your fault. Nor am I upset with you. It was just an accident."

"B-B-But," he stammered, the vase pieces still shaking on their own.

"An accident; not your fault. Now, do you remember what the living room looked like when you first got here?"

The teen looked at the man, a little thrown off, but it appeared to calm him down; the objects on the floor stopped shaking and his hands unclenched. Kurt and Rogue watched the two of them with fascination, not sure of what Charles had in mind. The teen nodded.

"Good. Now, focus on what it looked like; picture it in your mind."

Jerry's eyes widened, realizing what the mutant was asking him to do. "I… I don't know if I can. I mean, I never tried anything so big or complex-"

"I'll help you," Charles said, somehow sounding both calm and confident in the boy's abilities at the same time.

The teen nodded, looking around the disheveled area. "We need to leave the room." He sounded so serious and firm, that Kurt and the Professor immediately left, Jerry following close behind. They stood next to Rogue at the door, the new teen surveying the living room, giving the piano a longer glance. Finally, he closed his eyes, raising his hands slightly, and…

Nothing happened.

Kurt and Rogue shot a quick glance at each other, not sure of what was supposed to be happening, but suddenly the girl gasped.

It looked like one of those rewind videos on the Internet. Everything in the room started to move on its own, shifting back into its regular position. Paintings flew back onto the walls, a potted plant flew back towards the window sill, and even the vase pieces flew back onto the fireplace mantel, the pieces coming together to form a whole.

The most impressive part was the piano; the instrument rose, and it made some odd noises as the keys and wires flew back into place. The broken legs mended themselves, and the upturned bench set itself up. Kurt and Rogue stared at the scene, open-mouthed, and Jerry still had his eyes closed, brow furrowed in concentration. Charles' eyes were closed as well, mentally helping the boy focus on what the room looked like.

A minute later, the living room was completely fixed; even the pillows were now back in their original positions. Looking at the room, it was impossible to see that it was ever destroyed; even Kurt and Rogue had never seen it looking so clean and pristine before.

Jerry immediately collapsed, his eyes rolling back into his head. The other teens started, rushing over to him.

"He's fine," the Professor assured them. "I put him to sleep. He nearly became overwhelmed with anxiety, so I needed to act quickly, plus get a look at his abilities." The man glanced at the living room. "For someone so new, he's got some level of control that most students didn't have when they first started."

"But vhat _is_ his power," the furry boy asked, looking at the unconscious teen.

"It's some form of telekinesis, but it's not as straight-forward as Jean. While she can push and pull and lift invisibly, Jerry's telekinesis manifests itself as what he imagines. In a way, he can create what he imagines in real life."

Rogue looked down at the boy as well. "So… he basically imagined the room as it looked before it got wrecked, an' he fixed it?"

"Yes, but it obviously took a lot of mental focus from him, even with my help."

"But vhat about the floating stuff and ze piano?"

"I read his mind, but I'm sure you two would better understand it than me. Are you familiar with that feeling you get when you listen to a particular song that just seems… _perfect_, in the moment?"

The two teens looked at each other, and Rogue eventually nodded. "Yeah, Ah guess… yah fee like-"

"-you're floating," Kurt finished. "So vhen he listens to music-"

"If he lets his powers take over, he floats, along with everything around him." Charles clasped his hands together. "But we will discuss this more later. Right now, Jerry needs to rest. Kurt, can you take him to the Medical Bay and ask Mr. McCoy to look after him until I get there."

"Ja, Professor!" Grabbing the unconscious boy's hand, the two disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"He just needs some time to rest and prepare himself to meet the other students," the telepath said wisely, turning towards Rogue. "I wanted to ask you to also be a friend to the boy."

"Me," the girl gasped, shifting her feet. "But Professor, Ah'm not tha' best person for the- Ah mean, what about Jean-"

"Jean, while also telekinetic, is more… practical and straightforward, while you are more able to adapt to interesting and bizarre situations. Besides, the two of you are from the South, so he would probably appreciate someone who grew up in the same area as him."

"Louisiana is kinda different from Texas," Rogue grumbled.

"Still the case, I want you and Kurt to help Jerry acclimate to life here. Can I count on you?" He gave her a questioning gaze, and she eventually sighed.

"Fine. But if Ah mess up, yah can't blame me!"

"You won't mess up," the teacher assured her, rolling down the hallway. "I believe in you." The girl gave him a small smile, then headed up to her room; she had a ton of homework to get started on, and with Kitty temporarily out of commission, she had a few minutes of quiet to herself.

* * *

**Hope you enjoy it so far! **

**Also, for those that were curious, I actually _have_ Asperger's Syndrome, so most of what happens with Jerry is based on my own personal experiences and viewpoint.**

**Note: I do NOT own Elton John or any of his songs in ANY way, shape or form.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's Chapter Three! Hope you all are enjoying the story so far! **

**Make sure to follow, favorite, and review if you want more!**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**New Friends:**

Jerry woke up in a new room, and for a few seconds, fear filled his chest, and his fists instantly clenched.

"It's okay, Jerry," he heard the Professor say. "You're safe; you're just in the medical bay."

The teen sat up, noticing that he appeared to be in a room that reminded him of a Nurse's office. The only difference was that there was several professional medical instruments (including an X-ray machine), no windows, and the walls and ceiling were made of metal. Professor Xavier sat next to his bed, looking worried.

"P-P-Professor Xavier," the boy stammered. "What… What happened?"

"You overexerted yourself," the telepath told him. "We brought you here so you could get some rest and to avoid any other… _surprise_ visitors before you were ready to meet the others."

"I'm sorry again, sir," the teen said, picking at the sheets on the bed, the memory of the piano crashing to the floor fresh in his mind. "I lost my concentration and-"

"There is nothing to be sorry of. That is why you are here; to learn to control your powers. But if it makes you feel better, I have never met a mutant with as much control over their abilities as you do."

"Thanks," Jerry muttered, continuing to pick at the sheets. "What time is it?"

"A little before six; dinner will be starting soon. Are you up for anything to eat, and to meet everyone else?"

The teen hesitated before speaking. "I guess so… no use putting it off. Besides, my mom made me promise that I'd try to make friends."

Charles couldn't help but smile. "Fine."

A door opened in the other room. "Charles," someone else called out.

"Oh, Hank," the telepath responded, turning back to the boy. "Hank McCoy is one of our instructors, as well as our in-house doctor and therapist."

Jerry heard some footsteps heading towards them, but he didn't look up to see who entered the room, still messing with the fitted sheet around the mattress. "Hello," the pleasant voice said. "You must be Jerry."

"Yep," the boy replied, still picking at his sheets. "And you're Mr. McCoy. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too. Are you not looking at me because of the fur or because you don't do eye contact?"

"Mainly because of the eye- wait, what do you mean 'fur?'" The teen finally looked up at the speaker, giving a short yelp.

He knew that there was a member of the school that looked like a giant blue monster, but he didn't know that it was the doctor. The guy was over seven feet tall, and covered with blue hair. He wore regular clothes, and he even had a pair of spectacles on his nose. The man looked frightening, but Jerry wasn't really scared of the guy; it reminded him of a cartoon superhero, almost, and he quickly found that he liked Mr. McCoy, for some reason.

"You're cool," the boy stated, looking back at his knees, picking at the jeans. "No, it's not because of your fur; I don't like eye contact. How do you keep it clean? Do you have to brush it every day? That blue color reminds me of my stress ball."

The two adults looked at one another; never before had they met someone who had so quickly accepted Hank's appearance, and they were also thrown off by the kid's rapid-fire questions. "You have a stress ball," Hank asked.

"Yeah." The boy held out his hand, a small blue ball appearing in his hand. "The real one got lost years ago, but ever since my mutation showed up, I can make it appear."

The doctor gaped at the ball, then at Charles, who only raised his eyebrows. "Do… you often need it?"

"Not really," Jerry replied, the ball disappearing from view. "Only if I get scared."

"But you're not scared of me," Mr. McCoy asked, peering at the boy curiously.

The boy shook his head vehemently. "No. You seem nice. Besides, you're a teacher and doctor; I'd be stupid to avoid you."

The two adults chuckled at that. "Anyway, Hank, we were just about to go up to dinner. Care to join us?"

"I can't; I've got some more research to work on, but it was nice to meet you, Jerry."

"Nice to meet you, too." The mutant left, going into another room, and Charles motioned for the teen to follow him. Jerry got up, following the teacher down the hall.

"I hope you like pizza," the telepath said, rolling down the corridor. "Usually, Ororo and some of the other students would cook dinner, but it's Friday, which is usually more relaxed."

"Okay," the boy replied, methodically squeezing the blue ball that had reappeared in his hand. The Professor, sensing the teen's nervousness, stopped outside the kitchen door, where they could hear several people talking at once.

"There is nothing to be worried about," the man said gently, noticing the teen's frightened expression. "The other students are kind and they are excited to meet you. Everyone gets nervous when meeting new people, but I understand that you are especially worried about meeting new people."

"Y-Yeah," the teen answered, still rhythmically squeezing the small rubber ball. "I get worried that they won't like me or think I'm weird."

"Well, I can assure you that none of the students will find you weird. They have all also gone through some bullying in the past, so they are especially sympathetic towards the new students. You have nothing to fear." He sent some reassuring feeling towards the boy, who seemed to relax a little.

Jerry nodded. "O-Okay. Let's do this."

* * *

The current X-Students were crowded around the kitchen island, grabbing slices of pizzas from the boxes that Logan had just brought. He didn't stay long (he knew better than to get between hungry teens and food; especially if they had superpowers), and the current students were chatting amicably as they grabbed their pizza, going over the table to eat.

"We need a new driver schedule," Kitty complained, still feeling a little sick from earlier.

"Yeah, Tabitha's crazy," Lance added, sitting right next to Kitty, snagging some pepperoni from Jamie's pizza.

"Hey," the youngest mutant snapped. "Watch your fingers!"

"Yeah," Ray added, taking a bite of his own pizza. "That's just rude."

"And we don't _need_ a new driving schedule," Tabitha cut in, sitting on a nearby counter, since the table was full. "Even if we did, we wouldn't have Kitty drive; she's a human wrecking ball when she's behind the wheel. At least I follow most of the traffic laws!"

"_Most_ of them," Scott cut in, ducking slightly as Wanda levitated a plate of food towards her spot at the table.

"I think _both_ of you may need some extra lessons," Jean cut in, always the diplomat, though it earned him two harsh glares form the girls.

"Or you could just walk," Jubilee suggested, causing an eruption of laughter from around the table. Pietro quickly rushed back to the boxes, grabbed some pizza, then rushed back to his seat in less than a second.

"It's too far," Toad complained, snagging a slice with his long tongue.

"Yeah," Fred added, a whole box of pizza in front of him.

"It's not _that_ far," Kurt cut in.

"But yah can teleport," Rogue interrupted, checking to see if there was any cheese pizza left.

"Why not take a bus," someone suggested.

"Because the bus drivers are too scared to-" Bobby cut off, turning, along with the other teens, to see who had spoken.

Professor Xavier and a young teen stood in the doorway of the kitchen, watching the group as they discussed the driving situation. The teen wasn't tall or short, but an average height for someone his age; he had brown hair cut close to his head, and a few freckles that dotted his slightly tanned skin. He wore jeans and a t-shirt with the Texas flag on it, and he held some sort of toy ball in his right hand; he also wore a pair of bulky earphones around his neck. The teen avoided all eye contact with everyone, staring at something on the island counter, his face looking passive and unreadable.

"Everyone," the Professor spoke up, "I would like you to meet Jerry Mathews, the new student I told you about."

"It's nice to meet you," the teen boy spoke up, sounding nervous and scared. Anxiety seemed to ooze from the boy, and the X-Students stared at the boy for a few moments, taking in the new member of the team.

Kitty spoke up first, always kind to the new students. "Nice to meet you, Jerry! I'm Kitty; welcome to the Institute!"

Immediately, the other members started to give their greetings as well, the boy quickly clapping his hands over his ears at the sudden noise. The talking died away, and the mutant teens looked at one another; Xavier hadn't been kidding about the kid being different. The Professor shot Rogue a look, and she stood up, remembering what had happened earlier.

"Do yah want some pizza," she asked. "We've got cheese and pepperoni, if that's okay with yah."

The other students looked shocked to see that Rogue of all students was speaking to the new kid, but Jerry simply nodded. "Th-Thank you." The teen cautiously walked up to the island, grabbing a few slices of cheese. He said a quick prayer before taking a bite, all eyes on his every move as he stood by the counter. Charles gave Rogue another look, and she sighed before stepping forward.

"So, Jerry," she started slowly, trying to wonder what to ask, "where exactly are yah-"

"Why do you have a white streak in your hair?"

The girl, along with everyone else, was thrown off by the sudden question. The new mutant hadn't even looked up from his pizza when he asked the question.

"Ah… Ah just dye it like this," she finally stammered, after a few moments of awkward silence. Had the question come from anyone else, she would've clammed up, but she figured she should try to do what the Professor had asked her and indulged the new kid.

"Oh. Cool. What's your power?"

"Ah… Whenevah Ah touch someone, Ah absorb their memories and powers temporarily."

"Cool! You're like a mutant sponge."

Rogue's pale face went scarlet, and some people snickered behind her. She whirled around, and one look at her steely expression sent everyone to silence.

"Yeah," she growled, turning back around and clenching her fists, "I guess ya _could_ say-"

"Uh," Charles cut in, finally speaking up and rolling into the room. "Jerry, would you like to show the others what you can do?"

Jerry nodded, though he looked a little scared by the request. "I guess. What should I-"

"Oh anything at all, but probably something that doesn't destroy the kitchen!"

"Yes, sir." The mutants at the table, vaguely remembering what the new guy's powers were, were excited to see what he would do, all thoughts of what happened with Rogue forgotten.

Jerry looked at the counter, tapping his finger on the marble as he tried to think of something to do. He knew that first impressions were important, and he wanted them to like him, so he needed something cool. But what was something everyone liked?

Well, everyone likes music.

He glanced down at his fingers, an idea forming in his head. Was the counter big enough? Yes, he could almost see all 84 black and white keys on the smooth surface. Nodding to himself, the teen put on his headphones, selected the song, and hit the counter with both hands, his fingers making the same sound a piano would make.

The mutant teens stared at the boy, shocked as he suddenly started drumming his fingers along the counter, piano music coming from the island. Jerry bent over the counter, eyes closed as he started playing, a slow piano tune filling the large kitchen. Then, just when they thought it couldn't get any weirder, the teen started singing.

His voice was good. Like, _really_ good. A few of the students gave small gasps as the new kid started singing, his voice clear and strong, working well with the piano music. The music and singing seemed to mesh together perfectly, creating an almost magical effect that left the listeners spell-bound. A few of the pizza boxes floated off the counter, but they didn't fly very high, and slowly spun around as Jerry continued to sing.

Erik, Hank and Ororo walked in behind the Professor, stopping and gaping at the singing teen, captivated by the performance. They, like the students, didn't know what to expect when it came to the kid's powers, but they didn't expect this. Usually, when someone new showed up, they showed off their power in some large, grandiose way. But this simple piano tune was so… so _simple,_ almost humble in a way, but it had a powerful effect.

Eventually, the song came to an end, and Jerry stopped singing, the final note echoing slightly around the room. The pizza boxes floated back down to the counter, stacking themselves in a neat pile. The shy teen took off his headphones and switched them off, not sure of how they would react. He never sang in public, though his parents always told him that he had a good voice, and started to regret even opening his mouth.

Jubilee, Kitty, Rahne, Tabitha and Jean had tears in their eyes. Rogue and Wanda's eyes were as large and saucers. The other table occupants stared open-mouthed at the new teen. For a while, no one spoke; no one knew what to say after a performance so captivating. But eventually, someone did.

"Elton John. Ain't heard that in a long time."

Everyone jumped, turning towards the back door to find Logan standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame and looking at the new kid. Jerry gave the new person a quick glance; he was short, rough-looking, and reminded him of some of those tough guys he sometimes saw outside the bars back in Texas.

Jerry nodded. "Y-Y-Yes. _Tiny Dancer_, 1971."

"That was… that was beautiful," Rahne whispered, wiping her eyes dry.

"Yeah," Jamie piped up. "That was pretty cool!"

_Now_ the comments and compliments came, this time more quiet and subdued, still in awe of the singing. Rogue stared at the boy, wondering how the heck she was supposed to help the boy be normal when the truth was: he wasn't normal.

He was_ special._

"Well, Jerry," Charles said, rolling up to the teen, "that was very impressive piano work."

"Th-Thank you, Professor."

"How long have you played the piano," Jubilee asked.

"Since I was five."

"How did you do that with the counter," Fred asked.

"I just imagined it was a piano, and-"

"So you can make what you think of appear in real life," Bobby asked, already thinking of the pranks he could play if he had that power.

"Yeah."

"Can you imagine a unicorn," Kitty asked.

"Of course _you'd_ ask for that," Lance commented, rolling his eyes.

"Shut up, Lance!"

"Well…" Jerry stared at the floor, and a few seconds later, a glowing unicorn appeared in the kitchen. Kitty and several of the girls gave small screams, and the boy clapped his hands over his ears, and the creature immediately disappeared.

"Sorry," he said, lowering his hands. "I'm just-"

"Uh, Kurt," Xavier spoke up, looking at the furry teen. "Why don't you show Jerry to your room, and show him the Mansion essentials."

"Yes, sir!" He reached out to grab the boy's hand but he recoiled, pulling his hands back and putting them under his armpits.

"No hands, no hands," the boy muttered, staring up at the ceiling above him.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," the blue teen spoke up, a little embarrassed and weirded out. "Just… follow me; ve'll start vith ze dining room."

"You're German," the boy commented, following Kurt out of the room. Several more comments and questions followed the two as they left the room, leaving the other mutants in silence.

"Dang, ya weren't kiddin' about him bein' weird," Logan spoke up, grabbing some pizza from the counter. "But at least he can sing."

"Logan," Ororo chided him. "We're trying to set an example for the students to follow, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah," the man muttered, grabbing some beer from the fridge and heading out of the kitchen.

"Well I like him," Jamie spoke up. "He seems nice, and he's a pretty good singer."

"Yeah," Toad said. "Do ya think people would pay to hear him-"

"Don't even _think_ about it," Jean warned, glaring at the grungy teen.

"And need I remind you all," Professor Xavier spoke up, "that Jerry is still new here and is settling in. He needs time to readjust, so don't go demanding him to create things for you. He's still getting control over his powers, so don't aggravate him or make him push his limits. Understand?"

"Yes, Professor," the kids chorused.

"Now finish your pizza, and if I were you, I'd go to bed early," Erik warned them. "Logan's giving you all a special Danger Room session at five am."

Groans met this statement, and after that, the kids started to trickle out, heading to do homework or play video games or watch TV before bed, all of them dreading tomorrow's training.

"You were right, Charles," Hank commented. "Jerry is… _different_, to say the least."

"Yes," the bald telepath commented thoughtfully. "But I think, in this case, different is good."

* * *

**Yeah, in this universe, Erik becomes good, and Wanda and Pietro live with him in the Institute, where he is also an instructor.**

**Note: I do NOT own Elton John, Tiny Dancer, or ANY of his songs in ANY way, shape or form!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Therapy:**

A week later, Jerry was settling into his new life at the Institute.

He got to know all of the faculty and students in the week, along with what they could do. They all had a variety of powers that amazed the new guy, even though they all treated their abilities like a casual trait. Bobby, a young teen with chestnut-colored hair, could create ice at will, like Elsa from Frozen. Jean, a college-aged student with red hair, could lift things with her mind, and her boyfriend, Scott, could shoot optic beams from his eyes, controlled by a special pair of glasses he wore. He learned that Professor Ororo could control the weather, Erik could control metal, Logan had retractable claws in his knuckles, and that Jubilee could create mini sparkles with her fingers.

There were some parts of the Institute that was different from his home back in Texas. One was the bathrooms. Every morning, especially with the students in school, it was a mad dash for the restrooms. Since they had training in the early mornings (Jerry was exempt from training for three weeks, so he had time to settle in and readjust to his new schedule), so every time they woke up, the hallways were crowded with the sweaty mutants as they fought to go to one of the four restrooms in the mansion. Jerry didn't mind waiting, but he didn't like how loud they were, shouting and pushing to get to the door. So whenever he woke up, he would listen to music, waiting about half an hour for the other students to go downstairs for breakfast before trying to go. He didn't have to go to school; he had to wait at least a week for his records and forms to transfer from Texas.

Another thing that Jerry had to get used to was his new roommate Kurt. The mutant was friendly, but he had an annoying habit of teleporting in and out of the room, scaring the Texan out of his mind. Whenever he teleported, a loud BAMF sound filled the room, which was always distracting whenever Jerry was trying to read. He would also find the occasional blue hair, but it wasn't as bothersome. Eventually, though, the teen got used to it, and Kurt promised not to do it as often, though he often didn't have any control over who was present in the space he teleported to.

Secondly, there was the almost casual use of powers in the mansion. While Professor Xavier made the rules about when and when not to use their powers very clear, Jerry was still startled at how often the other students used their powers. Kitty would often walk through walls and doors, which was especially scary when you opened the door before she phased through, meaning she walked through you. Another mutant, Pietro, had super speed, and sometimes the wind-lash from him running by nearly knocked Jerry over. Even Jaime, who could create multiple copies of himself, was often seen cleaning the banisters, three other copies helping him polish.

Ever since he discovered his powers, his parents had lectured him and explained to him about keeping his powers under wraps. They weren't _too_ upset when he accidentally made something appear, but their disappointment was hard to miss, which only made Jerry want to try harder to get his abilities under control. However, in his new home, it was almost relieving that he could sometimes make something appear without anyone getting upset with him.

For the other students and faculty, it took them some time to get used to their new member. Besides his awkward and shy manner, along with sometimes blurting out something at inopportune times, his powers were interesting as well. Sometimes, he would sit in the living room, playing the piano and singing, the items in the room appearing nearby, dancing to the music. Other times, he'd walk down the hall, followed by a cartoon character, a dark storm cloud over his head, and, to Ororo's horror, a life-sized moose. While thrown off at first, the mutants soon got used to it, knowing that he was still learning to control his abilities and that none of the things he created were actually dangerous, despite their appearances.

* * *

After lunch on Mondays and Fridays, he'd meet with Mr. McCoy, a.k.a Beast, for a two-hour therapy session; once his enrollment process ended, he'd be going to these sessions after high school ended. Jerry was used to therapy sessions, having gone to several throughout his life, and knew how they worked, knocking on the office door the Monday after he arrived at the mansion.

"Come in," the mutant called, and the teen walked in, shutting the door behind him.

Hank looked up from his desk, a large file in his hands. "Good afternoon, Jerry. Right on time; very punctual."

"Thank you. Good afternoon, Mr. McCoy," the teen answered, not looking the mutant in the eye or shaking his hand. "Where should I sit?"

"Over there will be fine," the blue mutant answered, and Jerry sat down in a small comfy chair, facing towards the mutant's desk.

"So," Beast started, pushing his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose, "how are you doing so far today? Is it a good day? A bad day? Any particular emotion you're feeling?"

"It's a good day. It's raining outside, which means that it's easier for me to imagine water creatures, and I can also jump on the trampoline out back and watch the water mist up above the surface when I land on it." Jerry's leg shook slightly as he talked; it seemed that there was always some part of him that seemed to constantly move. "Don't worry; I'll be careful so I don't slip. I'm feeling good. I'm starting to get used to my daily schedule, and I got an email from my family. They say hello."

"Glad to hear that," Hank said, smiling a little and writing down something in a notebook while Jerry started to scratch his knee in three second intervals. "Any troubles with any of the other students?"

"No, not really. Everyone here's pretty nice."

"Mmhm. And how about Kurt? Are you adjusting well to living with a roommate?"

"Yep. It took me a while to get used to him waking up early for Danger Room sessions, along with him teleporting everywhere, but I'm used to it now. And Kurt's my best friend, I think."

"Based on talking to him, he thinks so as well," Beast said. "He's thrilled to have someone who can speak his native tongue living in close quarters." Jerry had taken German at his old school, and the furry teen was thrilled when the Texan revealed this fact. "Not to mention another Catholic. Did you like the church?"

"Yeah. St. Andrew's is a beautiful church, and it's good that Kurt, Scott and Wanda are Catholic too. Mr. Logan actually drove us, since Scott's car wasn't working, and he was quiet most of the ride, but I think he's just a quiet guy. Except when he yells. He's pretty loud for someone so short."

Beast had to quickly stifle a snort of laughter at that comment, quickly writing down what the teen said. "Interesting… Now, if you don't mind, I wanted to ask you about your powers. Have there been any sudden changes or burst of energy that you didn't mean to release?"

"Nope," Jerry said, shaking his head a little. "None whatsoever. Why doesn't Mr. Logan have a last name?"

"I… don't know. I guess some people just go by one name."

"But he's also known as Wolverine, and everyone here seems to have a superhero name; even you. I wonder what mine'll be."

"That depends on you. We _all_ have code names, and we choose them ourselves."

"Really? Shoot, now I gotta come up with a name."

"You have time," Hank reassured him. "Which reminds me: even though you still have two weeks left before it becomes mandatory, Charles and Logan wanted to know if you wanted to start your early morning training with the others this week, as well as hand-to-hand combat Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with Logan. Ororo has some free time this afternoon to help you choose your uniform."

The teen sighed. "I guess so."

"You don't sound particularly thrilled. If you're not ready, then I can tell them-"

"It's not that," the boy interrupted, now fiddling with the headphones around his ears. "It's just… I don't _like _fighting and hurting people. It's what bad guys and bullies do. They push people around and they're evil."

Hank gave a small, "Oh," realizing what the kid was getting at. "I understand where you're coming from, Jerry. But here at the Institute, we don't teach you to fight."

The teen looked up at the ceiling, then at a book on the shelf behind Beast's desk, and then back at his lap. "You… you don't? But what about all that training and Danger Room sessions and the stuff on TV and-" The kid stopped talking, clearly confused by the whole situation.

"We don't teach you to fight, but we _do_ teach you self-defense, and how to protect others. We don't encourage you to fight or attack others and we _certainly_ do not condone violent acts of any kind." Dr. McCoy seemed to get serious at this point, and Jerry realized he'd probably triggered one of those lectures that loud girl Kitty had warned him about.

"You see, Jerry, as mutants, there are still people that fear who and what we are, even though we've done nothing to harm them. Sometimes we get threatened, and we teach you how to properly defend yourself against an attack without getting upset. Some mutants, however, become bitter and angry at humans, upset at how they are being treated. They, like Apocalypse, try to destroy _all_ life, and it is our job to protect the inhabitants of Earth from threats to all of humankind, not just mutants. Since most of our foes have powers like us, yes, we do teach you martial art techniques, but it is strictly for the protection of others, and certainly _not_ for bullying. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes sir," Jerry said, feeling embarrassed at how stupid he'd been. "I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"Why are you apologizing," Hank asked kindly. "You didn't know or understand about the goal of our training, but now you do. _Never_ apologize for ignorance you can't control."

"'To remove ignorance is an important branch of benevolence,'" the boy responded.

"Ann Plato," the blue mutant said, smiling a little. "Have you read her works?"

"No, but it was a quote in my seventh grade English classroom back home. I read everything I get my hands on. I once read some old medical books my uncle had in storage. He's a radiologist near Grapevine."

"I'm glad to hear you enjoy reading so much. I myself love reading, and it's nice that there is another mutant who enjoys reading. Are you currently reading anything?

"_The Iliad_ and after that _The Odyssey_. They're really well written, and I like how it's split into different books; it's my third time reading them back-to-back. I remember everything I read."

"Really?"

"Yes. Everything I see, hear, taste; all senses, basically. That's why most of what I imagine is so detailed."

"Interesting… And may I ask about your music?"

"I love music. Ever since I was a kid. It's the same every time, and its a great way to express what I'm feeling without words. I have a song for every emotion, and the music helps me calm down and focus my mind. That's why I usually play or listen to music when I use my abilities."

"But can you imagine stuff without music?"

"Yes; it just takes more effort and focus."

"Interesting. What kind of music do you listen to?"

"All kinds," the boy replied, his fingers drumming along the arm of the chair. "I... I-" He hesitated, but upon looking up to see a kind smile from Hank, he continued. "I have a playlist."

"A... playlist," the blue mutant repeated.

"Yeah... It's hundreds of songs long, and each one represents how... how I feel, I guess you could say." The teen seemed to be struggling to find the right words, but he managed. "Like, if I'm sad, I have about two dozen songs I can choose from, depending on the type of sad I am. Sometimes, I listen to songs to help change my emotions, but I usually listen to songs that represent what I'm feeling at the moment."

The furry mutant processed this information. Never before had he heard about anyone using music as a way of expressing themselves in this manner, but he knew that most people with Autism struggled to communicate their feelings, so he was glad that the teen was doing so in a healthy way. "Interesting..."

"You say that a lot," the teen commented matter-of-factly.

Hank chuckled at that. "Well, you say a lot of interesting things."

Jerry shrugged. "I guess I do, though you're the first to find any of them interesting."

Hank couldn't help pitying the kid a little at that statement. Jerry wasn't saying anything particularly wrong or uninteresting, and it made the furry mutant wonder if he should try helping him build his confidence. But he figured if _anyone_ could help with the teen's confidence, it would be Logan. Despite his… _interesting_ methods, he got results.

* * *

**That's chapter four!**

**As you could probably tell, the playlist mentioned in this chapter is what the title's based off of, and will play a key role in this FF. As for the other part of the title... that's coming in another chapter later on.**

**Hope you've enjoyed the story so far! Follow, favorite and review!**

**Note: I do NOT own Homer, Ann Plato, Frozen, Elsa, The Iliad or The Odyssey in ANY way, shape or form.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, Readers!**

**Hope you all have enjoyed the story so far! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**Danger Room Session #1:**

Jerry stood next to Kurt, Kitty, Jamie, and Wanda in the elevator, feeling a bit of panic as it descended under the Earth.

He was wearing a deep navy blue outfit that was lightweight and skintight, but flexible and durable. A giant yellow 'X' criss-crossed his chest, and he wore yellow combat boots and knee pads, along with a pair of yellow finger-less gloves. Usually, he didn't care about what he wore, but he secretly enjoyed his new outfit, though his feet were pretty heavy. He noticed that everyone else had similar outfits, but no two were exactly identical to one another. He was glad he decided to start training early, but he needed to get used to being tired.

"Are you still tired," Jamie asked, looking up at Jerry as he stifled a yawn.

"A tiny bit, but I had a great wake up call to get the blood pumping," the teen said.

"Yeah," Kurt grumbled unhappily. "I vas voken up to ten cymbals going off at once!"

The other X-Teens looked at Jerry. "You made a bunch of cymbals go off at once?!"

"Of course not! It was just my alarm ringtone." The other mutants laughed at that, but Jerry wasn't sure why, hoping they weren't laughing _at_ him.

The elevator stopped, opening to reveal a long metal hallway, where some of the other students were milling around, all dressed for the Danger Room session and talking with one another. Jerry stood off to the side, not sure of what was going to happen and wishing he had his music with him.

"Listen up, Cupcakes," Logan called out, walking out of a room nearby, causing them all to jump as Jerry's hands shot to his ears. "It's an individual exercise today. Each of ya go in one by one, an' no one leaves fer breakfast until everybody's finished. When ya finish, come up ta tha' control room an' watch the others. Undahstand?"

"Yes, sir," the students chorused, lining up near the door, Jerry ending up near the rear.

"What happens in there," Jerry whispered to Fred, watching Wolverine, who was in his uniform as well, walk into the room closely followed by Kitty, who was first in line.

"It's designed to simulate different battle scenarios," the large mutant said, cracking his knuckles to relieve some stress. "Laser guns, shifting floors, and stuff that swings out of nowhere and knocks you off your feet. It's like a crazy obstacle course that could kill you."

" … Oh. Are we… are we allowed to use our powers?"

The mutant snickered. "Of course! That's the whole point of these exercises; to practice using our powers in a battle setting."

After that, they were silent, waiting for their turn as one by one, the students walked into the room, escorted by Logan. Some kids took longer than others (mainly the younger mutants took longer), but when they were finished, they didn't see the students; it appeared that they were waiting in a different room.

"Are you nervous," Jubilee eventually asked from behind him, as they were the only two left waiting in the hall.

"A little bit," Jerry said, squeezing the blue ball in his hand in his methodical rhythm.

"Don't be scared," the girl said comfortingly. "It's not gonna kill you; the worst anyone has gotten was a broken bone. Have you ever broken a bone before?"

"No."

"Well, it's not _too_ bad; you get to miss school for a few days, and Mr. McCoy plays checkers with you when you're in the med bay. Plus, everyone signs your cast and the Professor lets you eat ice cream in bed."

At that moment, the door slid open and Logan walked out, glaring at the two teens left in the hallway.

"Newbie, you're up," he growled, pointing at Jerry.

The young man started, a thrill of fear going through his body as he slowly shuffled towards the door, following Wolverine into a large, open room that was dimly lit. Jubilee wished him luck, but her voice was cut off as the door slid shut behind them.

"Take yer time," the man ordered gruffly, heading towards another door off to the side. "Don't focus on yer fear. There's no right way ta make it; do it _yer_ way." He pointed at a door opposite the large room, right across from where Jerry stood. "Reach that door." And with that, he disappeared through the side door, which shut behind him.

The Texan still squeezed the rubber ball in his hand, breathing a little heavily as he observed the large room around him. It appeared to be about the size of a football field but was round, and was a plain flat floor of metal. For a second, he wondered where the challenge was, but as he stepped forward, he jumped as the room was suddenly filled with light, a loud whirring sound filling the air as the room changed around him.

The floor split open in some spots, revealing pits with no visible bottom. In other parts, tiny guns appeared, swinging around on their own. Some parts of the wall shot out every few seconds, and it reminded the boy of that Wipeout show, but this looked like it would kill him if he made a wrong step. There were also areas with stairs and holes, obviously forcing him to be active. Before he could react, one of the nearest guns aimed towards him.

"_Yargh_," he yelped, jumping out of the way as it fired a red laser, leaving a small scorch mark in the spot he was seconds earlier. It turned towards him; it appeared that it was designed to follow his movements. As it fired another shot at him, a wall appeared in front of the boy, who had imagined it a second prior.

"Okay," he muttered to himself, visualizing the room in his mind. "What to do, what to do…" The room was huge, and built like a death trap. It was loud, had flashing lights, and had things that jumped out to trip you over; it was as if it were specifically designed to push Jerry's buttons. For a few minutes, he simply sat there, hands over his ears, as he tried to let his mind catch up with his new setting. Then, when he'd calmed down enough, he got to work, trying to figure out a way across.

"Too bad I don't have any _useful_ powers," he muttered to himself, thinking about all the other mutants and how they had probably gotten across. Kurt teleported across. Kitty ran straight across, everything phasing through her. Bobby froze everything. What did he have? Nothing. He was just some nobody who-

Nobody.

He looked around the room, examining every obstacle in his path. Yes… it _just_ might work! He looked over at the other door. He'd need something there, a large pillow or something, but he should survive. Hopefully. But now, he needed to focus, close his eyes, and imagine a certain character from the book he was reading.

* * *

Meanwhile, Logan and the other students watched Jerry on the screen from the control room. He'd had a good idea, creating a wall to block the gunfire, but now he seemed stuck, sitting on the ground with his eyes closed.

"What's he _doing_," Wanda asked, squinting at the boy's passive face.

"Has he given up," Ray asked. "This isn't even a hard scenario."

"Not yet," Logan said, watching the teen intently, waiting for something to happen. "He's thinking about what to do next."

"How's thinking gonna- _YIKES!_" Roberto and the other mutants gasped as a large shadow suddenly appeared in front of the teen.

A large monster stood in the room; it was maybe twenty feet tall,ugly, and humanoid, save the giant single eye in the middle of its forehead. When it roared, they could hear it from their room, and feel the ground shake beneath their feet. A few guns swiveled around to shoot at it, but it was unfazed.

"_Woah_," Tabitha murmured, staring at the screen. "That's huge!

"Must've taken a lot of focus," Jean added, watching the boy with some concern.

"What are you planning," Rogue muttered, watching the creature turn towards the small teen.

* * *

Jerry looked up, spying the cyclops standing a few feet away. It roared, causing the boy to cover his ears, but it didn't roar for long. He quickly brought the wall construct down, since all the guns were now trained on the giant creature.

"Excuse me, Mr. Polyphemus," the boy yelled, trying to get the character's attention.

The monster turned on him, his one eye peering intently at the boy. The mutant knew what the monster was thinking; whenever he imagined a book or movie character, they had the characteristics and personality of their fictional counterpart. Which meant that the monster was dumb, short-tempered, and ate humans. Since he needed someone with good eyesight, he imagined the monster before Odysseus poked his eye out.

**"WHO DARES SUMMON ME,"** the one-eyed man boomed, bending down to peer at the teen. **"SOME PUNY HUMAN WISHING TO BE DEVOURED?"**

"No, thank you, I'd rather not get eaten today," the mutant replied, staring the monster straight in the eye.

Polyphemus laughed at that, showing dirty and sharp teeth. **"YOU THINK YOU CAN CONTROL ME, BOY?"**

"I can, but I'd rather not. I need your help."

**"OH REALLY? AND WHY SHOULD I DO THAT?"**

Jerry crosses his arms. "I assume you were on your island a few moments ago?" He knew the monster really wasn't on an island, because the cyclops didn't _exist_ a few moments before, but it _believed_ that it did.

**"SO,"** the one-eyed man demanded, glaring at the tiny human.

"If you want to go home, help me, or else you'll be stuck here forever."

**"HA! YOUR THREAT DOES NOT SCARE ME ONE BIT! I WILL BE FINE IN THIS WORLD; EATING WHO I PLEASE, PILLAGING CITIES FOR GOLD AND-"**

"And what about your sheep?"

Polyphemus froze, his eye going wide. One thing the teen knew about the monster was how much he loved his sheep. Sure, they were large enough for Odysseus and his men to escape under, but he knew the cyclops would do anything to protect his sheep. And if he wasn't there, they would most likely die or get taken by the other cyclops. So the boy had he monster trapped; of course, if things went south, he would just make the creature vanish.

The one-eyed man's hand shot out, grabbing Jerry and lifting him up to his eye, which was full of rage. "**YOU THINK YOU CAN THREATEN ME, BOY?! YOU BETTER RETURN ME TO MY FLOCK, OR I'LL-"**

"Eat me," the human asked, trying to remain calm. "You eat me, you don't go home, and your sheep die. _But_, if you toss me across the room to that door over there, I'll send you home."

The monster looked over at the door,his eye squinted with concentration. **"SO… IF I JUST THROW YOU ACROSS THE ROOM… WITHOUT KILLING YOU... YOU SEND ME HOME?"**

"Yes.

**"BUT WHY NOT SIMPLY MAKE ME CARRY YOU ACROSS THE TRAP ROOM?"**

The mutant froze at that, the cyclops' words fresh in his mind. Wait, why _was_ he going to have the creature throw him across when it could simply carry him over. It seemed a lot safer than his original plan, and-

**"BUT WHAT DO I KNOW? I'LL TOSS YOU AS YOU WISH."**

"WAIT," Jerry started, realizing his plan was stupid, but the monster drew back his arm and chucked the teen across the room.

Screaming as he soared through the air, he soared over all of the traps, guns and trials of the room, heading towards the door. For a second, he'd forgotten his own plan, but as he started to descend, he quickly focused on what needed be done. A large slide appeared underneath him, and he slid down, landing right by the door. Hitting the button on the wall, the door slid open.

**"HEY!"**

The teen turned around, facing the cyclops on the other side of the room, the monster glaring at him with his single eye.

"Oh, yeah," the mutant commented, giving him a small wave. "Thanks for helping me!"

**"ANYTIME! BUT SEND ME HOME; I NEED TO FEED MY SHEEP!"** The teen nodded, focused a little, and the monster disappeared. Then, he walked out of the Danger Room, the door sliding closed behind him.

Jerry collapsed in the hallway, gasping and holding his aching head. He hadn't created anything so strenuous in such a long time, and he took several deep breaths, doing his best not to pass out. The boy lay on the ground, trying to calm down his beating heart as he stared at the plain grey ceiling.

" … Wow," he finally gasped, a giddy laugh bubbling up from his chest. "I… I'm _alive!_" He'd survived his first Danger Room session; he couldn't wait to find the others and-

Suddenly, he heard another door slide open, followed by the trampling of feet as he was suddenly surrounded by the other X-Teens, all of them smiling and talking at once. Based on what they were saying, they'd seen his performance, and were offering their congratulations.

"_OhmygoshthatwasAMAZING!_"

"That was _incredible!_"

"That was _stupid!_"

"What was that thing you made?!"

"Very clever way of solving the Danger room!"

"Ya shoulda seen Logan's face! _Priceless!_"

"Vow, Jerry, that vas awesome!"

There was too much talking; too much noise; too much stimuli. Jerry quickly covered his ears, groaning a little to block out the noise. It earned him a few odd looks, but he was too tired to care, scrunching up into a ball on the floor.

"Back up, everyone!" Distantly, the boy heard Wolverine's bark, and instantly all conversation died around him, his groaning the only noise besides some footsteps. Eventually, the teen stopped moaning, opening his eyes and finding Logan standing over him.

"Ya okay, Newbie," he asked gruffly, the other students silent around him as he visibly checked Jerry for any injuries.

"Y-Y-Yeah," the teen stammered, slowly sitting up and rubbing his head. "Just… a little tired, is all. No broken bones or nothing."

"That was probably tha' most dumbest an' ballsy move I've _evah_ seen a student pull! Ya realize ya could've died?" His arms were crossed, and Jerry finally realized that he must be upset with him. _But why_, he wondered anxiously; he passed the test, and made it safely to the other side. Didn't Mr. Logan even say that there were no wrong answers to crossing the room?

"I… I-I-"

Suddenly, the man smiled, which was something he rarely did. "Howevah, ya broke tha' record for tha' fastest time in the Danger Room, so I can't stay mad at ya. Though next time, don't give us a heart attack. Good job, Newbie."

The boy blinked at the man, numbly taking the man's gloved hand when he offered it, pulling the teen to his feet. A few of the other mutants cheered a little, and Jerry couldn't help but grinning. He'd done something good for once; something _right!_ And he felt _amazing_! However, he was still tired, and nearly fell over, being caught by the instructor.

"Kurt, take him up to his room, let him get some rest," Wolverine ordered. "I'll send Hank to check on him in a bit." The furry teen nodded, grabbed Jerry's hand, and the two of them disappeared in a flash, reappearing in their room.

"Are you okay," the furry teen asked worriedly, helping Jerry lie down on his bed.

"Yeah… just tired, is all," the boy said, rubbing his forehead. A second later, he caught an ice pack that appeared out of nowhere, placing it on his forehead. "I just need a few minutes to rest, is all."

"Okay. I'll let ze Professor know." He walked towards the door, turning back to face his roommate. "Great job, by ze vay. It vas incredible, vhat you did."

Jerry smiled weakly. "Thanks… ." And with that, he closed his eyes, falling asleep in a matter of seconds.

* * *

**And that's the first five chapters! I hope to continue this, and I even have a whole plot line up for it, and I hope you guys and gals enjoy it!**

**Anyway, favorite, follow and review if you want more, and I hope you've enjoyed the story so far!**

**Note: I do NOT own Homer, The Odyssey, Polyphemus, Odysseus or the show Wipeout in ANY way, shape or form.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey Readers!**

**Sorry for the long wait; I hope it was worth it. Here's Chapter Six! Enjoy!**

**-aggiefrogger**

* * *

**Thoughts on the New Kid:**

**Jamie POV:**

The youngest mutant in the mansion knew what it was like to be the odd man out; to be the person that everyone treated differently, whether they mean to or not, just because of something about you that makes you stand out. So, knowing how hard it was for him when he'd first moved here, he decided to become friends with Jerry.

It wasn't hard to find him; whenever he wasn't at training or his meetings with Mr. McCoy and Professor X, he was either playing at the grand piano in the main sitting room, or in his room, reading or listening to music. On this particular day, the Texan was in his room, lying on his bed and reading one of his many books.

"Hello, Jamie," the teen said, not looking up from his book. "How are you?"

"Good," the young mutant replied, a little intimidated, but determined to be friendly. "What're you reading?"

"_The Westing Game._ Ellen Raskin, 1978."

"Cool… what's it about?"

"This rich guy dies and sixteen strangers try to solve a series of clues to see who wins his entire fortune. It's a really good mystery novel. Haven't you read it before? It's at your grade level."

"I can't say I have." Jamie ventured a little further into the room, sitting on Kurt's bed as he watched the teen continue to read. "Am I bothering you?"

"No. I've read this before, but I like rereading old books every now and then. Why would I find you bothersome? You knocked before coming in, and your voice isn't at a decibel that causes pain or discomfort."

The youngest mutant was silent for a bit, trying to figure out how to explain his predicament; he wasn't used to anyone not finding him annoying when he came to them while they were busy, so he was thrown off for a few seconds. "Be… Because I'm the youngest?"

"So? I'm also one of the youngest in the Mansion," Jerry replied, turning the page. "And I have a younger sister, so I know what annoying is."

"Really? What's her name?"

"Ellie. She's eleven, and no, we don't think she's a mutant. She likes to play basketball, and wants to be a professional when she grows up. You can create copies of yourself." The last part was a statement, and so off topic from the sister that it took the young boy a moment to realize that it was about him.

"Y-Yeah," Jamie replied. "And you can make things you think of appear in real life."

"I once made a copy of myself appear. It was freaky, and I haven't done it since."

"So… do you have to focus to keep what you create stay there, 'cause when I create a copy of myself, they disappear when I lose my concentration."

"It depends; if I want something to stay, it does, until I get rid of it. I can't create anything while I sleep." He finally looked over at the young mutant, his eyes staring a little over his shoulder. "Did you want me to make you something?"

"Oh no," the youngest student said quickly, feeling embarrassed for some reason. "I just… I was just trying to be friendly, since you're new, and… " His voice faded out, not sure if he was doing well, or screwing the whole thing up.

Jerry's face was unreadable, and after a few moments, Jamie started to worry about what the older boy was thinking about. Finally, the Texan spoke up, turning back to his book. "You seem nice enough. I accept your friendship."

Jamie looked up in surprise, silent for a few moments, then gave a wide smile. "Awesome! I mean," he added quickly, noting the teen's wince at the sudden noise, "I'm glad we get to be friends." He looked at the book again. "What's the name of that book again?"

"Which one?"

"The one you're reading."

"_The Westing Game._ Wanna read it?"

"Not if you're reading it right now-" The young boy cut off as he watched another book fly out of the book the teen was reading, soar through the air, and land on the bed next to where he sat.

"It's an identical copy," Jerry spoke up, still looking at his own book. "I know it by heart, so all the words are there. Just let me know when you finish it so I can get rid of it."

Jamie cautiously picked up the book, checking to see it was real. Every detail; from the picture on the cover, to the publication details on the inside, were there. He didn't know if it was accurate, but it looked correct to him. "I thought you couldn't make anything permanent."

"That is an inanimate object; it's easier to keep around longer."

"This… this is incredible," the boy murmured, flipping through pages

"Not really," the Texan said nonchalantly. "But thank you for the compliment." Going silent after that, the youngest mutant took that as his cue to leave, and he left the room, flipping through the book he'd received.

_Well,_ he thought to himself, _Professor X __**was**__ right about him being different. But… _He looked back at the door to the teen's room. _I like him. At least I won't have to deal with him picking on me or anything like that!_

And on that final thought, he walked towards his own room, opening the book to chapter one.

* * *

**Tabitha POV:**

It was well known that Tabitha was a rebel, and she wasn't afraid to show it, though it often got her into trouble. Unlike Rogue, however, she didn't stalk around like an angry, moody cat, refusing to talk and answer questions sometimes. She rebelled in her own way.

And her way had _style._

It was also well known that she loved her music; she often was seen wearing her earbuds, jamming to some song that was turned up so loud, the music could be heard by anyone within three feet of her. She also liked to dance in place as she listened to said music, but since it meant that she was too busy to drive anyone anywhere, then everyone was fine with this.

Of course, one didn't become such a talented dancer just like that. Tabitha often went into the front sitting room to practice (since it was quieter, and everyone preferred the back living rooms with the larger TVs and video game systems. Whenever someone saw her in there, they would leave, not wanting to deal with her or any of her craziness, should she see them.

That is, until Jerry arrived.

The first time she'd noticed him, she was in the middle of watching a video on her phone, doing her best to memorize how the background dancers in the music video moved. Eventually, however, she started at a voice that spoke up from behind her.

"Do you mind turning that down? I'm trying to watch _Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron._"

She turned around to find the new kid, Jerry, sitting on the couch, a pair of thick headphones around his neck and phone in his hands.

"Wow! You sure sneaked up on me," Tabitha replied, giving him a wide smile. "You're the new kid; Jerry, right?"

"Yes. You're Tabitha. The bad driver."

"I wouldn't call myself a bad driver, per se-"

"You also create exploding marbles."

"Oh, yeah," she said, making one appear in her hand, tossing it into the fireplace as it exploded like a firecracker, causing the boy's hands to clap to the side of his head. "Sorry, I guess; forgot you don't like loud noises."

"What're you even doing," he questioned. "That's not an efficient way to learn how to dance; the screen's too small."

"Well I'd like to take lessons, but apparently I'm blacklisted from every dance school in Bayville, for some reason," she said, annoyed; sheesh, you accidentally blow up ONE dance studio floor, and you get banned for life. Who knew?

Jerry, looked at some point over her shoulder, but upon turning around, she couldn't see what he was looking at; it appeared to just be a wall. "Give me your phone."

She blinked in shock, as if he'd just asked her to chop off her arm. "What-"

"Please," he added, holding out his hand, still not looking at her. Confused, she decided to comply, and handed the phone to him. Starting the video over, he pressed play, and stared fixedly at the video as it played, as if he were studying for a test. A few minutes later, when it finished playing, he turned off the phone and returned it to her. "Thank you."

"So… what was that all about," she asked, taking the phone back. "Don't tell me you like that band. I thought you were an Elton John fan."

"Only when I need to calm down," the teen explained. "And I'm now comfortable in this place, so I don't listen to him as much anymore, though you are correct in assuming that this is not my type of music. However, I want to watch my show in peace, and since Kurt's currently in our room playing some loud video game with Spyke, I came down here. You were making noise, causing a distraction, so-" He stared at the floor a few feet away from them, and the girl gaped as one of the background dancers from the background video suddenly appeared, costume and all, in the living room.

"I memorized the whole video," Jerry spoke up, seemingly unaware of the girl's shocked expression. "She'll do the exact dance from the video, but you'll need to play the song if you want music playing in the background. Take her somewhere to practice, somewhere I can't hear her… and she'll disappear in about half an hour, so I'd get started."

"She'll disappear… like Cinderella?"

"I guess so." With that, he put on his headphones, pressed play on his smart phone, and looked down at the screen.

Tabitha stared at him in shock for a few seconds, then turned back to the dancer, who gave her a small smile and a wave, then back at Jerry.

_Not gonna lie, this is pretty cool,_ she thought. _I'll have to remember that when the new Maroon 5 music video comes out._ Then, motioning to the dancer, she led her towards the backyard, leaving the Texan to his show.

* * *

**Logan POV:**

Logan attacked the punching bag, nearly splitting it at the seam.

He was in one of the mansion's training rooms, waiting for the new kid to come down for his first hand-to-hand combat training session. If he was honest with himself, he wasn't thrilled with the task at hand; mainly because of the kid in question.

Jerry was nice, which usually would drive Wolverine crazy, but for some reason, he couldn't get mad at the kid. Even if the kid did something wrong, he couldn't yell or really snap at him the way he did with the others. The teen always called him 'Mr. Logan,' never just plain 'Logan,' and he never looked him in the eye; not out of fear, the man thought, but for some other reason.

The kid was also… _unorthodox_, to put it nicely, with everything he did. One prime example was the Danger Room session. Jerry, who was easily scared by loud noises and being touched, was perfectly fine with creating a monster that flung him across a noisy and chaotic room. He could have died, and the fact that he pulled a stunt like that so easily kind of scared Logan. Also, his 'creations' freaked the man out. Once, he'd come downstairs for a beer and found the teen sitting at the table, talking to _The Beatles_ as he ate a sandwich. Jerry had said hi to him, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, imagining famous musicians to chat with you whenever you felt like it.

But the part that scared Wolverine the most (though he would never admit it) was the teen's Asperger's. Upon learning about the kid's disability, Logan had done his research into the disorder, trying to find something that could help him train the kid. However, it only made him _more_ nervous and wonder how he was going to help the kid without sending him into a fit. The Newbie hated loud noises, hated when people touched him unnecessarily, and was uncoordinated. And Logan had the pleasure of teaching him to defend himself.

_Damnit_, he thought to himself, aiming another kick at the bag. _I sure as hell got my work cut out for me_. He'd never prayed to God before, but he was seriously considering it when the door slid open and Jerry walked in.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Logan," he said quietly, the small rubber ball in his hand disappearing as he walked towards the instructor. He was wearing a plain pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt with the Texas flag on it.

"You're early, Newbie," Wolverine grunted, hitting the punching bag again, causing the boy to jump a little.

"I-I-I'm sorry," the boy stammered, scratching his head and looking at the ground. "I l-like being on time."

"Nothin' wrong with that," the man grumbled, turning towards the kid. "Ya seem to lack somethin' we like ta call '_confidence_.' Evah heard of it?"

Jerry nodded vehemently. "Yeah. I've been told I lack it before."

"Ya sure didn't lack it yesterday morning when ya chucked yerself across the Danger Room. I'd never seen anyone do that." He smiled a little at the boy, in spite of himself. "Pretty impressive, Newbie."

"T-Thank you."

"Is Newbie an acceptable nick name?"

"I guess; not the worst name I've been called. Though I'm still coming up with my own code name for missions and stuff."

_He __**honestly**__ thinks he can go on missions with us right now_, Wolverine thought to himself, watching the teen's hands fiddle with one another. "Yeah… anythin' so far?"

Jerry sighed. "No. I mean, everyone else has a name that relates to their mutation, even you, but I can't think of anything that works with mine."

_Got that right_, the man thought, a little exasperated that the kid couldn't just choose a name and move on. "Then don't name it after yer powers."

The boy seemed to grow anxious at that comment. "But it would be different from everyone el-"

"So what," Logan snapped, finally losing his patience. "We're _all_ different, everyone on Earth! Stop whining about bein' unique an' toughen up a little! In fact-" He looked at the teen, noticing his shirt. "Lonestar. That's yer code name, since ya love Texas so much. End of discussion." He felt a little bad for snapping at the kid, but he figured if he was going to build the kid's confidence, he had to start _somewhere_.

Jerry looked up at the man, which nearly scared Logan to suddenly see the young boy's piercing blue eyes staring at him. "Lonestar… I like it. Lonestar." He looked back at the ground, muttering the name a few more times before the instructor cleared his throat to get him to stop.

"Now, let's get started. Basics in self-defense."

* * *

**Xavier POV: **

"We've been thinking about it all wrong," Professor Xavier spoke up, turning to Ororro, who sat across from his desk. "I wasn't sure before, but if what Logan and some of the other students have told me is true, then everything we've originally thought is wrong."

"What do you mean," she asked, frowning slightly. "How could we be wrong about Jerry?"

"It's his mutation; I thought that it was some sort of physical manifestation of telekinesis, but then I received this." He picked up a small book from his desk, holding it out to the other instructor. "It's an exact, word-for-word copy of _The Westing Game,_ which was made by Jerry a few days ago."

The woman's eyes widened slightly. "How is that possible? How come it hasn't faded away? It's not real, it's-"

"It _is_ real, in a sense." Xavier rolled back behind his desk, looking through a folder. "I ran it under a microscope, comparing it to the original copy in Jerry's room, and I found something astonishing. The molecules of the origial are normal, but his copy is made of something else… air."

"Air?"

"Yes."

"But… Professor, that's physically impossible; we should not be able to pick up the book if it's made of air."

"But we can, because there's a small energy field that binds the air molecules together, making it appear solid, and colors the molecules so it's not clear."

"So," Ororro replied, the gears turning in her head, "Jerry isn't telepathic, but a molecule manipulator?"

"Exactly," Professor Xavier grinned. "That's why they seemingly disappear into thin-air; because they're _made_ of air!"

"But what about the people," the woman asked. "He's made people and living creatures before, and-"

"I checked that too by asking him to imagine a bird for me to study. They're made of air too; they're not real, with no soul or any tissue or organs. They're essentially visible shadows."

"But he talks to them; they talk back! They have personalities of their own, so-"

"They come from his mind," the Professor explained. "I'm not sure how it works, but the energy field that keeps the molecules together seems different; they have receptors, you could say. I think that, in reality, Jerry is simply, deep down in his subconscious, having a conversation with himself."

_"Himself?"_

"Again, I don't know how or why they're different; he also told me he can't make them last as long as inanimate objects, and Tabitha confirmed this. Perhaps it's like Jamie with his copies; they aren't real, but they think and act like him, since they come from his mind. And you know that, in all honesty, a real wild animal wouldn't be as tame as the ones Jerry makes."

Ororro leaned back in her chair, taking in all of this information. "When did finding out a mutant's abilities become so difficult?"

Xavier laughed a little at that. "I take this as a challenge for us. But just be glad that you don't have to train him!"

She smiled a bit at that. "How's Logan doing with that?"

"Well, he hasn't managed to scar the child, and says that while he still needs work, he's extremely good at copying his moves. Kind of reminds me of a man I once heard of that could do the same thing…" A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Maybe _he_ might be illuminating in this particular case."

"Xavier, if this is who I think it is-" The woman's stern expression and warning tone was hard to miss.

"I know, I know; just a thought." He looked up at her. "But he finally chose a nickname. Lonestar."

"Lonestar," she repeated. "I like it. Gives me a few ideas for his uniform."

There was a knocking at the door. "Professor," Pietro called through the door, sounding furious and annoyed. "Could you tell Kurt and Kitty to stop switching my styling cream with glue?" Laughter from the perpetrators followed this, which was then proceeded by a yell, and the sound of something breaking.

The two adults quickly muffled their laughs, for the boy's sake. "Back to work," she asked.

"Back to work." And they went towards the door, ready to solve the dozen or so problems that were waiting for them.

* * *

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the long wait! Between Winter Break, going back to school, and other Fanfics, I kind of got sidetracked with this story! But I'm back now, and I'll try to keep you updated on new chapters.**

**Speaking of which, follow and favorite this story or me to be updated on new stories and chapters, and feel free to leave a review of this chapter or others if you want to.**

**Happy Belated New Year, and hope you all have a great and safe week/weekend!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own _The Westing Game_, Ellen Raskin,_ Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron, Maroon 5,_ Cinderella, or _The Beatles_ in ANY way, shape or form!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, Readers!**

**Here's another chapter; Jerry's first day of school! It doesn't go the way that you or the other mutants thought it might, but then again, life's full of surprises. Enjoy!**

* * *

**A Beautiful Day in the Cafeteria:**

**Jerry POV:**

"And finally, how do you feel about school on Monday" Dr. Hank McCoy asked Jerry, pen poised and ready to take notes.

The boy nodded, fiddling with the small ball in his hands. "I don't know. I'm excited for parts of it, but not all of it. I guess a better question would be 'Are you prepared for school on Monday,' but I'm not a medical professional here, so…" His thought died off, and he continued to toss the ball from hand to hand; according to the clock, they had a few minutes left in their session, and he was ready to go.

"I guess you would be right," the blue mutant replied. "Are you prepared?"

"Yes. I have all my school supplies, my schedule of classes, and I even took the liberty of studying what my classes had been studying so far so I don't fall behind."

"Very proactive of you."

"Thank you. I assume you're not talking about acne cream." Beast gave a small snort of laughter he quickly hid as he wrote down some more notes; he did that a lot during their sessions, the teen noticed, but figured that it wasn't anything too bad. "Did you like school, back when you went as a kid?"

"Yes," the mutant replied. "It was one of my favorite places to go. That's why I teach now."

"Good for you. You got your dream job."

Dr. McCoy paused in his note taking, but the boy didn't look up from his seat. "Well… I guess… you're right." He resumed the writing, and the Texan wondered what he was thinking about that made him hesitate. "Anyway," Hank continued quickly, "did you do the task I asked you to do during our last session?"

"Yes." Jerry pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, handing it to the blue mutant. "A list of all the _'Happy'_ songs in my playlist, split into sub-categories of positive emotions like _'Confidence,' 'Joy,'_ and so on."

"Wow," the mutant replied, unfolding the paper to find every inch of it covered in writing on both sides. "You could've used more than one piece of paper."

"Should I have," the teen asked, instantly wondering if he'd messed up. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"It's fine," Hank quickly assured him. "It doesn't matter how many pages you use; this is impressive, though."

The Texan relaxed. "Thank you."

"You should take a page out of your book and listen to something to help you feel less anxious. What category would that be in, if I might ask?"

_ "'Less Anxious.'"_

"Wait… that's an actual category?" He scanned the page until he found it. "I stand corrected."

"You're sitting."

"It's an expression."

"Cool." He checked the clock again, standing up. "Thank you, Dr. McCoy. Goodbye."

"Bye," the scientist replied as the teen left the room, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

**Rogue POV:**

"No way," Rogue said, standing up from her chair. "Yah can't be serious!"

"We didn't exactly plan it this way, Rogue," Professor Xavier told her. "He was already taking advanced classes back in Texas, and-"

"But Professor, he's in EVERY CLASS of mine except P.E.! That _can't_ just be a coincidence!"

"Well… okay, it isn't, but-"

"Ah knew it," the teen said triumphantly, glaring at him. "Yah _did_ mess with the schedule!"

"Rogue-"

"That's it! Ah know yah wanted me ta help be there for him, but I ain't doin' it at school," she told him. "Ah got my own classes and stuff ta worry about without havin' ta stop Jerry from usin' his powers durin' class!"

"We've talked to Jerry about not using his abilities," the man replied. "And all you have to do is show him where his classes are; you don't have to sit next to him or show that you even know him." He gave her a kind look. "Though, if you wanted to do something nice for him-"

"Ya bettah not be tryin' ta use a mind trick on me," she said sharply, determined not to be brainwashed.

"I understand your frustration, Rogue," Charles told her, not answering her accusation. "And I know that this probably isn't going how you planned it. But… please understand that I'm only asking you because you're the only person that we feel could help him."

"Because Ah'm from the South? So's Fred!"

"But he's a little… _insensitive_ to Jerry's Autism, and his classes wouldn't allow him to help Jerry out. Yours do. Please, Rogue," he added, holding up a hand as she tried to object, "you promised me weeks ago that you would help, and now that time has come."

Rogue stared at him for a few seconds, shocked, but then turned on her heel and left the office, not scared to slam the door behind her.

_It's not fair,_ she thought to herself, stalking towards the library for some peace and quiet. _Ah'm not a damn babysitter; and, if anythin' goes wrong, they're comin' aftah me!_ Entering the library, she immediately went to her favorite spot on a window seat, staring out at the grassy lawn outside.

"It's not fair," she muttered to herself, looking outside, dreading what was to come the following day. "It ain't fair…"

..

Rogue looked in the rear view mirror from her spot in the passenger seat, watching Jerry as he sung some sort of song to himself, staring out the window with his headphones on.

Fortunately, she was able to make things a little easier for both of them; she'd managed to track down Bobby and Scott in the chaos of Monday mornings and ask them to help Jerry find an outfit to wear. Good thing, too; his old outfit made him stand out like a sore thumb, but right now, he needed to fit in. Also, she was planning on talking to him before entering the building itself, since she had a lot to tell him. She just hoped that he would understand that he was at a major disadvantage given his late entrance in the school year, his mutation, and his Autism.

_"Colorado rocky mountain high,"_ the teen muttered to himself, staring out the window with a vacant stare. Looking out her own window, she was relieved to see the regular landscape, devoid of Mt. Kilimanjaro or some other nonsense.

_That means he can control his powers,_ she thought. _Ah just gotta explain when ta do so._

The van stopped in front of the school, and the students climbed out, the majority of them heading towards the entrance. It was ten minutes before school started, so some students were still outside, talking and such.

_Here goes_, she thought, turning around and seeing Jerry there, headphones around his neck, paper in his hands, and gaze somewhere over her shoulder.

"I've been told we have most of the same classes," he stated, holding up his schedule for her to see.

"Yes," Rogue agreed, keeping her voice low so only he could hear her. "Now, Ah gotta explain some thing ta ya before we go in there."

"Okay."

"First: no powers."

"I know that; Professor Xavier-"

"No," she interrupted. "No powers, no matter _what!_ No music playin' by itself, no famous people, no myths or stories comin' ta life: nothin'! If someone picks on ya or upsets ya, ya can't use your powers! Understand?"

"People are gonna pick on me," he asked, a trace of worry in his question.

"Damnit," she muttered, wondering how the hell she was gonna spin this one now. "People won't pick on ya. Some people, though… they don't like mutants."

"Why? You guys are awesome and nice and-"

"We know, but they still don't like us. Just… don't let anyone know you're a mutant, and ya should be fine."

"But if you're with me, won't that alert them of that?"

"Maybe, but if anyone asks, you're not a mutant. Got it?"

"Okay."

"Also, don't draw attention ta yourself."

"Okay… how do I do that," Jerry asked.

"Just… be quiet. Don't speak in class unless you're answerin' a question from the teacher, don't create anythin' with your powers, don't… just do what Ah do, and you'll be fine. Okay?"

"Got it," he grinned. "Now should we go to English? We have eight minutes until class starts."

"Yeah. Follow me." And with that, the two of them walked into the school, ready to start the day.

..

Rogue was lucky they made it through the first half of the day with no incident.

Jerry, having been to high school before, knew how it worked, and followed her through the hallways to each class. The only problem was the seats; she usually sat in the back, where the most vacant seats were, meaning that the Texan sat next to her every time; she kept her mouth shut, however, determined not to acknowledge his presence during the class itself. However, it was now lunch time, and in a whole other category of its own when it came to how one stayed under the radar.

Fortunately for the mutants, they had three tables to themselves, which was the only time the mutants came together during school. Occasionally, one or two would sit with their other friends, but the Institute students made it a habit to be there for one another. And with a new addition to their group, they were all present that day; Jerry's table consisted of Rogue, Kurt, Kitty, Lance, and Tabitha.

"I like pepperoni," Jerry said to himself, eating the slice of pizza he'd gotten from the lunch line.

"Me too," Kurt added, sitting on the other side of the teen (Rogue sat on Jerry's right). "But… how is your first day going so far?"

"Good," the Texan said, his free hand rolling the rubber ball lazily across the table. "My classes seem interesting, and none of the teachers seem to be inept at their jobs or cruel. So yes, I would say my day has been good so far."

"What about you, Rogue," Kitty asked her, making sure that Jerry couldn't hear. "How're you holding up?"

"At least he hasn't done anythin' crazy," she replied, stabbing a stray carrot with her fork. "But still… we're in every class."

"Why's that a problem? Is he smarter than you?"

"Ah don't know yet, but even if he is, it ain't any of my business."

"Uh-oh," Sam muttered. "Here comes trouble." The group looked up to see a tall boy and his goons messing with someone at another table."

"Something wicked this way comes," Jerry said to himself, taking a sip of his water. "Who is it?"

"Scott Sanders," Kitty told him. "Plays golf, and thinks he can boss everyone around 'cause his dad's rich."

"That name sounds like Scott's," the teen replied, talking about Summers, probably.

"I… I never noticed that," the girl replied, looking back over at the bully. "Huh."

"Will he come towards us," Jerry asked, sounding a little worried.

"No, he isn't that stupid to try and take us on," Lance told him.

"I once heard that bullies are bullies because they're secretly insecure and/or have issues at home," Tabitha said, daintily eating one of her fries as she jammed out to some music on her headphones; it was a miracle she could even hear what they were talking about.

"So why don't you guys help him," Jerry asked. "You guys help people; why do you allow him to continue to pick on others?"

The table froze, everyone sharing awkward looks; how did they explain that, because of who they were, they couldn't simply interfere with bullies because someone might get hurt? Eventually, they all turned towards Rogue, who gave them all a death glare before turning to Jerry. "Well," she started, hoping that she didn't say anything wrong, "we… we'd like ta help him, but… but we aren't qualified ta do so." Everyone else nodded at her, so she continued. "Basically, he'd need someone ta tell him that he shouldn't bully other people ta make himself feel better."

"So why don't you tell him," the Texan asked innocently.

Rogue just about had it with the teen talking to her. "Because we're kids, Jerry! Kids don't listen to kids, they listen to adults! Just drop it!" The autistic teen jumped a little at the sudden raise in voice, but fortunately didn't freak out. Instead, he simply put his headphones on, probably following his friend's example of listening to music.

"Think Ah was too hard on him," Rogue asked, wondering if she'd scared him into silence.

"Don't look at me," Lance said. "I'm no expert."

"Ugh," the girl complained, no longer worrying about Jerry hearing her. "Ah don't know why the Professor's havin' me help him!"

"Don't worry, Rogue," Kitty said kindly. "He's not crying, and Scott isn't coming over her-" Her voice cut off as her mouth dropped open in shock, and the other mutants (minus Jerry) looked over as well, gaping at what they saw. At the other tables nearby, people also noticed what was happening, and started to whisper, while others pulled out their phones. The last person to notice was Scott Sanders, who turned around to find himself face-to-face with an old man in a plain blue sweater, khakis, and tennis shoes. The man, who'd died years ago, was instantly recognized by most of the students, who grew up watching reruns of his television show.

"Scott Sanders," Mr. Rogers said, giving him a kind smile. "Why are you picking on this boy here?" As the bully gaped in shock, Rogue turned to Jerry, who simply sat there, gazing at nothing, his headphones on, and his usual fidgit-ness nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no," she muttered to herself, looking over at what the teen had made appear.

"Wha- Who the hell are you," the teen bully asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Mr. Rogers," the old man replied, still giving him a kind smile. "You know, most bullies are bullies because they secretly don't like themselves, or because of family issues at home."

You could hear a pin drop in the cafeteria, it was so quiet. The mutants at the other two tables were either gaping at the Mr. Rogers, or at the new mutant that was controlling him. The other students knew who the mutants were, so they weren't expecting them to be the cause of this phenomenon; maybe they thought it was a eerily good look alike. "I'm f-fine," Scott snapped angrily, glaring at the man. "What do you know about me?"

"You play golf," Jerry via Mr. Rogers told him. "Golf's such a fun game; and not an easy one, either. You must be pretty good at it."

The bully couldn't help but nod at that. "Well, I have won a few trophies," he said proudly.

"Congratulations," Mr. Rogers told him, still giving him a kind smile. "Your parents must be so proud of you."

"Not really; they both work a lot." The teen hesitated, as if he'd said something wrong.

"But surely you know they still care about you. I mean, that shirt you're wearing looks really nice."

"Uh… y-yeah," Scott stammered, looking down at his polo shirt. "It… was a present from my dad."

"I think one of the most important relationships in a person's life is between them and their father, as well as their mother," Mr. Rogers (or Jerry) said philosophically. "Besides, most dads I knew growing up golfed; is that where you learned to play the game? Because of your dad?"

"Uh, yeah. We-" The teen hesitated, his usually tough guy act suddenly gone. "We used to go to the golf course by our house all the time when I was little… Good times." He took a shaky breath, and everyone else stared in shock, wondering what would happen next.

"I remember spending time with my dad," Rogers said kindly. "We spent so much time together; fishing, and playing catch, and stuff like that. Mine's in heaven now, but I'm glad you still have a good relationship with yours."

"Yeah… I guess we…do."

"Then you must've been blessed with a wonderful life," the man said, giving him a kind smile. Suddenly, to the amazement of everyone, Scott burst into tears, muffling his face in his elbow as other people started to whisper around him. The mutants stared at Jerry in shock, wondering how the heck he was doing what he was doing, and curious to see what happened next.

"Why are you crying," Mr. Rogers asked.

"B-Because I haven't seen my dad in weeks," the bully said between tears. "He… he works so much; I don't see him anymore!"

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Mr. Rogers told him, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder. "That must be pretty hard for you and your mother."

"Y-Yes," the boy cried. "I… I just wanna talk to him again!"

"Then why don't you?"

"Why… why don't I what?"

"Talk to him. I assume you probably have his phone number; why don't you call him and talk to him about how you feel?"

"He doesn't like it when I call," Scott explained, drying his eyes some more.

"Have you talked to your mother or friends about this," Mr. Rogers asked, giving Scott's friends a quick glance that they awkwardly avoided.

"N-No… I haven't told anyone."

"Well, you should talk to them as soon as possible about how you feel; it is apparent that you're obviously going through a tough time with your dad. But that doesn't mean that you have the right to make other people feel miserable. Do you like being miserable?"

Scott frowned at him. "Of course not!"

"So why do you insist on making others feel miserable? It doesn't make the world a better place, and it doesn't _really_ make you feel better, does it?"

The teen bully looked at him in shock, the worlds slowly taking effect in his mind. Then, to everyone's amazement, he shook his head. "No… it doesn't."

"Then may I suggest that you stop bullying your peers," the man told him. "They could be possible friends that could help you during this time, and being mean to them destroys bridges that could possibly lead you back to your dad."

Scott looked up at him, a few more tears in his eyes. "You… You really mean that?"

"Of **course** I do," Mr. Rogers sad, smiling. "Friends are some of the most important things we can have in life; friends help one another through the rough times and grow as people when they do so. You seem like a nice kid; don't let your hurt make you seem like a bad guy."

Scott nodded. "O-Okay. Thank you, Mr. Rogers." He looked over at the kid he was recently picking on. "I, uh… I'm sorry. For all those times I picked on you and stuff."

"It's fine," the kid replied, just as shocked as everyone else. "Just… I hope you and your family stuff feel better."

"Thank you," the bully replied, turning back to Mr. Rogers. "And thank you again."

"No problem," the man said, shaking the boy's hand. "You will grow into a fine young man someday; one that your mom and dad will be proud of." And with that, he vanished into thin air.

"What the hell," someone yelled, and the cafeteria instantly went into an uproar, everyone looking around to see if the deceased TV host was hiding somewhere. Everyone except the mutants, that is, who simply turned back to Jerry as he removed his headphones.

"What… what did you do," Lance gaped at him.

"Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that," he replied simply, turning back to his apple as the cafeteria students continued to panic around them. Rogue and the other mutants exchanged somber looks; they knew that their job of keeping Jerry's powers under wraps just got a whole lot harder.

* * *

**And that's it for this chapter! Hope you liked it!**

**Feel free to follow or favorite this story or my profile to be updated on new chapters, a****nd, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own Proactiv, Mr. Rogers, _Mr Roger's Neighborhood_ or _Rocky Mountain High_ in ANY way, shape or form.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, Readers!**

**I know that the last chapter wasn't as climatic as most people would think that Jerry's first day went, I still think it worked out well. But this chapter observes the aftermath of his actions, and how they affect a certain group of students at the Institute. Anyways, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

**Reading Between the Lines:**

After Jerry's stunt with the fake Mr. Rogers during lunch, the Professor had a long talk with him about when and where he could use his powers. The teen was confused, since he did something good, but Xavier was patient in explaining it while Ororo, Logan, and the other teachers were under fire from Principal Edward Kelly, who wondered why "those mutants" couldn't follow simple rules. The other older students were also under fire (now everyone else knew that the new kid was also a mutant, though they weren't exactly sure what his powers were), but suffered silently, like they'd been taught to, though Rogue did so with some muttering and dark looks, causing everyone but Jerry, who had to follow her around, to avoid her for the next few days. The only good thing to come out of it was Kelly's inability to take out his anger or prejudices on the Texan, since, as a kid with a disability, was protected by State laws, so at least they knew that the Principal couldn't bully the teen.

Of course, Jerry _had_ to be punished somehow; he actually insisted on it, saying that it wouldn't be fair to everyone else if he got off with just a warning. Still, since it was his first punishment, and in an effort to make sure everyone got to know their new student better, Professor X decided to have the Texan be available in the afternoons and evenings for helping all the other students with their homework. The teen was smart enough to help everyone, even the other high schoolers, and it would force him to work on his people skills. So, in a way, everyone won.

The other students, of course, had their reservations; even when Jerry wasn't creating anything to follow him around, he was… unpredictable. They also knew he was smart, and were wondering how he would approach helping them with their schoolwork and such. However, Ororo and Hank made it very clear that it would be their way of making the new kid feel at home, and give them a chance to improve their grades (with their training and other school activities, they needed all the help they could get). So the Professor set aside the library for studying every day, and the homework help commenced.

The New Mutants got first choice of study times, since they needed the most help, and they could either sign up for individual help or come in groups if they all needed help in the same class. Of course, since they all were in most of the same classes, and unsure of what their studying would be like, they signed up to study together in one group, save Jamie, who was the youngest of them all, and took different classes. So, the following Wednesday after the Mr. Rogers incident, they went to the Library after school, ready to see what lay in store.

"What do you think he's like," Ray asked the group. "Think he's a good teacher?"

"How could you _not_ know what he's like," Amara asked incredulously, though she secretly didn't know herself. "We live in the same building as him, and we train with him almost every day!"

"You never know a person that well until you see how they study and help others study," Bobby said seriously. "Remember the first time we asked Scott for help?" They all cringed at the memory, trying not to remember that botched study session, which ended in extra Danger Room sessions for a month. "He could be a complete psycho when it comes to studying."

"I think he's nice," Jubilee spoke up. "Besides, Autistic people aren't good at disguising their personalities, so what we see is what we get."

"It's still nerve-wracking," Rahne spoke up. "He's only two years older than us, but he's a _Junior!_"

"But the Professor said to be open-minded," Amara added. "And we do need help with our homework. I say we see how good his tutoring style is before we condemn him." The rest of them nodded in agreement.

"Good afternoon," a calm voice spoke up from behind them, and they turned to find Jerry standing there, backpack over his shoulder. "Thank you all for being on time."

"Uh… no problem," Ray replied. They moved so the older teen could open the door to the library, and followed him into the empty room, the shelves of books reaching the ceiling. They sat at a table in the center of the room, the New Mutants staring at their fellow mutant, waiting for him to say something.

"Welcome to this study session," Jerry started, pulling out a folder from his backpack. "Now, even though this is technically my punishment, I will do my best to make sure you all succeed academically in your classes."

"Uh… thanks," Rahne said, and the others exchanged a few looks, some mocking, some confused by the teen's blunt politeness.

"Since there are so many of you, and all of you have different and various personalities and grades, I asked Professor Xavier and Kitty, since she has a good idea of peoples' personalities, for help in learning more about your grades, study habits and personalities."

The younger teens blinked at him in surprise, not expecting this. "What," Bobby asked.

"'Bobby Drake,'" the Texan read from the folder. "Eighth grade (though you _all_ are in eighth grade), creative problem-solver, very inclined to anarchy and childish pranks."

"What's that," Ray whispered.

"Your grades right now are around the C range, save English, which is a high F. Also known to cheat, so I'll make sure you're sitting by yourself if we ever take a practice test."

"Yeah, laugh it up," the iceman said sourly as his peers snickered at his grades and promise of isolation during tests.

"Samuel Guthrie." The student in question paled at his name, going silent. "You have the second hightest grades in the group, but it appears that while you can efficiently study, your friendship with Bobby often distracts you," Jerry said. The two friends looked at one another, silent.

"Amara Aquilla." The girl gave a small start at the sound of her name. "Good grades, sometimes think you're the boss of everyone, and sometimes focuses on trivial matters instead of homework.. Also can't be too far away from the ground. I'll make sure we never study on the ocean or in the air." A few laughs at this, and the girl gave a relived sigh, glad she wasn't too humiliated. The oldest teen continued like this until he finished talking about everyone, leaving only silence.

"Now," Jerry continued, putting aside the file, "now that we're all here, we need to come up with a name for our group. Studies show that when people are part of a team together, they perform better in whatever they're trying to achieve."

"How's that true," Ray asked.

"There's a reason y'all're called the X-Men, not the X-Individuals. Would you go on a mission alone," the teen retorted calmly, waiting for a response, but getting none. "Now, you all should decide, since it is your study group."

"Bobby's Blunders," the iceman suggested.

"We're not even going to pretend you said that," Jubilee said, refusing to look him in the eye.

"The Miserable Mutants?"

"This isn't a Lemony Snicket book," Sam told her.

"The New Students? Since we're the New Mutants?"

"But we've been students for a while."

"Then why not just call it the New Mutant Study Group?"

"That's… not bad," Rahne said. "Everyone in agreement?" Though some hesitated, everyone eventually nodded, turning back to Jerry.

"That is a good name," the Texan said simply, nodding and staring at no one in particular. "Now, the one subject you all need the most help with is English, which is surprising, since it's the easiest subject out there."

"Not with our teacher," Bobby muttered.

"Anyways, I was able to obtain a copy of your syllabus," Jerry continued, pulling out a small packet from the folder. "Right now, you are currently reading _The Hunger Games_."

"I still don't see why we have to read it," Jubilee said. "They made a movie of it for a reason!"

"But the movie doesn't accurately portray the book," he replied.

"How so?"

"Wel…" He looked thoughtful for a minute, everyone looking at him with expectation. "Their ages."

"What?"

"They cast adults to play teenagers, since child labor laws have specific rules for filming with children; they can only work for a certain number of hours each day, and, if it's during the school year, you need to provide a teacher for them. Not to mention the liability if one of them gets hurt."

"Which costs money," Ray said.

"Exactly. So it's easier and cheaper to cast adults that look younger than they really are than to cast kids. Now, if the movie were really book accurate, the ages would range from 12 to 18 years old; so that would be your ages."

The group looked at one another at that, slightly disturbed. They'd all seen the movie before, and tried to imagine them and their classmates as the tributes instead of the actors on the screen. "That's… scary," Amara said, trying not to imagine her best friend Kathy being killed by another kid.

"Then just think what Katniss must be going through; sixteen, at an age most people desire privacy the most, being put on display for the world to see, forced to pretend to love someone just to survive," Jerry continued.

"How do you know all of this," Bobby asked. "You can't even tell what we're thinking, and-" Sam elbowed him in the ribs, cutting off his comment. The oldest teen simply nodded, his face unreadable.

"Yes," he replied, "I am not the best at understanding human emotions. But that is why I love books; you don't have to guess what the characters are thinking or feeling. The author tells you what they are thinking and feeling, allowing your imagination to fill in the gaps. Movies are good, and I enjoy movies as well, but you connect more with the characters when you are able to dive into their minds and share experiences."

"You act like you can just bring the characters to life," Ray said. "Which, I guess you can do-"

"My imagination creations aren't real," the teen interrupted. "And it is something anyone can do, with or without powers. Like Bobby, for instance." The iceman froze at the sound of his name. "You recently pranked someone, from what I heard. Correct?"

"Uh… yeah?" He already got in trouble with Ororo, and didn't need another punishment.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well, you didn't just throw the prank together all at once; you had to think about it, imagine how the prank would play out, and who your target would be."

"I… I guess so-"

"Reading is the same way. When you think more about the characters and what they are going through, you get a better understanding of what happens in the book as a whole, as well as the themes and hidden symbols in the book." He paused again. "Think of it… like a private investigator. You have to find out everything about a person, so what do you do? You research them, get inside their head; find out what makes them tick." Everyone was listening at the table now, awe-struck. "Reading is the research, but it doesn't have to be boring and tiresome; that's where your imagination comes in. It allows you to imagine exactly how things should look. When we read a scene with a setting, you're not going to imagine it exactly like everyone else, even though we've all read the same text."

"So how do we know what we're thinking is right," Amara asked.

"That's the best things about books; you can discuss them with other people. Like-minded people can compare your experiences, and find the common truths hidden within the pages; authors try to make their books have some sort of theme, which makes this easier. There's a reason that most people read books in groups; not only do you get to hear other people's experiences reading the novel, you may learn something about the book that you didn't know before. With a movie, you all experience the same thing, and nothing can change that; you hear the same dialogue, see the same setting, and so on. With a book, you can literally let your mind take you to the story in your head. Do you understand?"

The New Mutant Study Group looked at him, amazed. They weren't expecting this deep level of philosophical thinking, and it blew them away with how much the teen knew about reading for someone his age. They usually hated reading, but now, it almost seemed… like something enjoyable. "So you're saying we should love reading," Bobby asked.

"Yes. If you go in with a negative outlook, you cannot effectively understand or enjoy the book."

"But we study the book in class," Rahne interrupted. "All the teacher does is drone on about symbolism and themes and such."

"Now _that_ is why I'm glad we're here in this group," the Texan explained. "Teachers, while they mean well, have lost most of their imagination with age. Some can keep their imaginations with them for their whole life, but most decided to deal with the facts. They skip the enjoyable part of reading and effectively spoil the end when they tell you what to write and think about when reading the book. In a way, it's like a movie, telling you how to think about the work as a whole." He stood up from his seat. "Now, since I do have certain abilities, and since we're starting at the beginning, let me show you how I see the first major setting in this book."

The library disappeared around them, leaving nothing but a blank void, with only them, their table, and the library doors off to the side visible. Someone screamed, but most looked around them in shock, wondering what would happen next. Then, the whiteness disappeared, and a setting appeared around them, and they gasped as a cool wind blew back their hair.

They were on top of a grassy hill, overlooking a small city or large town in the distance. Behind them was a wall of trees; pines, spruces, and oaks, creating a wall that seemed to continue for miles in both directions. The sky above them was an azure blue, with a few clouds crossing the sky. Some of the New Mutants got up from their seats, looking around with wonder, gasping as they felt the grass rustle against their legs. They knew that Jerry could imagine characters and stuff, but they never knew that he could completely imagine a realistic new environment with this much detail.

"Welcome to the outskirts of District Twelve," Jerry said simply. "This is what I see in my mind when I read about Katniss' home."

"But isn't this like a movie," Ray asked. "You're showing us what the place looks like instead of-"

"Unfortunately, I cannot imagine what you guys see when you read the book," the Texan interrupted. "I would if I could. But I am not showing you how the place should look; I am sharing with you what I see when I read this book. But," he asked, "I wonder, for those of you that read the first few chapters, how similar does this look to what you imagined?"

"I… I… It's more beautiful than mine," Amara said, looking towards the town. "Is that District Twelve?"

"Yes."

"Can we approach it?"

"Only for a few feet before you hit the bookshelf; we're still in the library, but it doesn't look like it."

"Look, there's a barbed-wire fence and train tracks," Bobby added, pointing them out. As they all looked, they noticed how… old the town looked. It didn't look like a nice place to live, with its ugly and old buildings, the coal dust that covered most of the ground and, to their chagrin, the unpleasant smell wafting on the breeze.

"What does this say about the Capitol," Jerry asked.

"Why would they let them live like this," Jubilee asked. "This place is a dump!"

"And aren't they rich or something," Sam asked, looking around as well. "They also need coal to power their country, so why let the coal providers live like this?"

"Good comments," the Texan replied. "You're getting into the mind of the book. If the Capitol, as it calls itself, is really good and caring; why would it allow its citizens to live like this? Trapped by a barbed-wire fence, unable to escape the destitute conditions around them."

"Not to mention the whole death competition," Rahne added.

"Wait," Amara said, realization hitting her. "If they live like this… how do they expect their kids to have a chance? These are unhygienic living conditions; it's a miracle that they haven't died!"

"But they _do_ die," Jerry said. "They don't tell you in the movie, but the book goes into extensive detail about the lives of the citizens of District Twelve. Also, you're observation is very astute, and you're getting closer to one of the first hidden horrors that Susanne Collins wrote about."

"Is it one of those truths you told us about?"

"Yes."

The New Mutants went silent, looking around them, all trying to figure out what it could be. To their surprise, including his own, Bobby spoke up first. "If… they aren't strong enough to barely survive… then them being sent off to the Hunger Games is basically a death sentence." He looked over at the Texan, unsure of himself.

Jerry nodded, giving him a small smile. "Correct. By this point in the 74 year history of Panem, the people of this district, including Katniss, have resigned themselves to either die in the Games, or die in the streets." He walked back over to the table, grabbing his own copy of the novel. "Now, knowing what we know now, let's reread the first chapter, and see how different it appears to you now." The other mutants hesitated, giving the setting one last look, but went back to their seats, opening their own books to Chapter one. They had no idea what would come next, but they were excited to see what would happen next.

..

"It's nearly time for dinner," Kitty said, walking down the hall towards the library. "What's keeping them so long?"

"Beats me," Lance replied. "Maybe Jerry's having a little trouble keeping them interested in learning?"

"I dunno; I feel bad for him. He isn't good at social interaction, and he has to help them with their homework."

"Maybe if he can't handle it, the Professor'll give him another punishment. Maybe dish duty."

"I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy," the girl replied, reaching out to open the library door, but stepping back as it opened, and the group of New Mutants walked out. "Hey guys, it's…" She paused, looking at them with some concern. They didn't look… happy; they weren't messing around or using their powers like they usually would. They looked somber, almost, and Jubilee was actually drying tears.

"Are you okay," Kitty asked her, going over to the girl.

"I… I'm fine," she said, drying her eyes. "I just… never knew how much a human being could suffer on the inside as well as outside." Wordlessly, she and the others walked past the two older X-Men, going towards their rooms.

"What the heck," Lance asked, gaping at their faces. "What'd he do to them?"

"Just some light reading," Jerry replied, exiting the library after shutting off the light and closing the door. "We really examined the social and economic structure of the fictional country of Panem, and how it affects Katniss Everdeen and her family. Not to mention, I helped explain to them how reading can really open up new worlds for them, though it's kind of sad they have to start with a bleak one. Now hurry up; it's dinner time." And with that, he left, leaving the two of them alone in the hallway.

"How… Is he talking about the Hunger Games," Kitty asked.

"The movie's not even that bad," Lance replied.

"But apparently, Jerry must've given them a lot to think about," she replied, and, both of them still surprised, they went down to the dining room, hoping that Jerry didn't scare them too bad. However, it wouldn't be until she saw the New Mutants diligently studying instead of watching TV that she started to realize that the Texan must've done something right; no one had ever been able to get them to study, which meant she could enjoy her TV show in peace.

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**And that's it! Sure, The Hunger Games is a pretty well-known book, and didn't exist in the time of the show, but this fiction takes place in 2019, as if the events of the show happened in the mid 2010's instead of early 2000's. Also, I wanted a book that the students might try to watch the movie to avoid reading the book, and see how Jerry could change their minds.**

**Feel free to follow or favorite this story to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. ****And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own Mr. Rogers, Susanne Collins or her characters or ideas, or _The Hunger Games_ in ANY way, shape or form!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey Readers and X-Men fans!**

**First off, I'd like to apologize for the long wait since my last chapter; between midterms and Spring Break, it took me a while to finish this chapter. Also, I wanted to spend time with my family, so that delayed in the posting of this chapter. I hope you all find it worth the wait! This chapter]s kinda hurt/comfort, but has a happy ending. Enjoy!**

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**A Misplaced Prank:**

Of course, with so many mutants living under one roof, there was bound to be some trouble every once in a while. There were occasional fights, dramas, and so on, but the mutants involved usually ended up apologizing and forgiving one another and any physical damage to the Institute was repaired. After Jerry first moved in, they'd expected him to have at least one time or another where he'd freak out over something, but were surprised that he didn't. So, when the time did come that he _did_ become scared, the rest of the mutants were unprepared for what happened next.

It was a regular Friday night; most of the mutants were at home, while all the adults, save Erik, were gone at some sort of meeting in D.C. Even with Jean and Scott there to help referee, most of them were enjoying their evening in loud, rambunctious ways. Notable troublemakers included one ice mutant and his friends, who were planning their revenge on a certain blue-furred mutant.

"Kurt will never see this coming," Bobby whispered, smirking as he readied the water balloon in his hand.

"How do we know he'll come in here," Sam asked. "This is the dining room!"

on't worry; Rahne and the others will lead him here. Once he's through that door… let's just say he'll think twice the next time he thinks of teleporting me out of the bathroom so he could use it!"

"Still seems kinda extreme," his friend told him. "And what's to stop him from just teleporting into here?"

"That'll be the girl's job; they'll keep anyone else from coming in, and they'll make sure he walks through the door. Just be ready to throw as soon as that door opens!" Sam seemed unsure, but readied his arm.

Meanwhile, outside the dining room, Rahne was currently waiting for the signal from Amara, who would let her know when to call Kurt and lure him into the trap. However, as she looked down the hallway, she didn't notice Jerry coming down from the other end of the hallway, listening to music on his headphones and padding softly on the carpet. He'd been looking for a quiet and solitary place to go, since the library was taken, and he decided to check the dining room. Ignoring Rahne, he opened the door, looking up from his phone in time for a water balloon to hit him square in the face, another hitting his chest.

The impact nearly knocked the air out of him, and caused him to stumble backwards. His headphones, which were at that moment playing a song from a Phineas and Ferb playlist, flew off his head as he fell to the floor. The sudden absence of noise, along with the cold water soaking him, jarred the teen, who gave a gasp of surprise, choking a little on the water that dripped into his mouth.

"What the-" Rahne yelled, whirling around at the noise as Bobby and Sam ran to the door.

"Dang it," Bobby whined. "It wasn't him!"

"Uh… is he okay," Sam asked as Jerry lay shaking on the ground, his hands over his ears. The three New Mutants didn't know what was happening, but they could instantly tell something was wrong.

"Get Mr. Erik," Rahne said as the Texan started to mumble. "One of ya-"

Jerry finally screamed, the sound echoing through the Mansion, bringing all conversation and activities to a stop. However, besides the scream, an invisible force threw the three other mutants through the air, sending them tumbling down the hallway. Fortunately, they had been trained to fall without hurting themselves, and after recovering they looked back at the Texan, gaping at the scene.

While they lived in a time where VCRs were a thing of the past, they'd seen TVs with static and wavy lines. However, they weren't expecting to see the walls, floor and ceiling surrounding the Autistic teen to look like that; the surfaces shimmered and waved, the sight making their eyes ache. They assumed it was part of his powers, but they stood agape, not sure of what to do.

"What happened," Scott demanded, running up to the trio. At that moment, Jerry suddenly shot to his feet, bolting in the opposite direction of the four students, the static cloud following him. He ran up the stairs, his field of panic knocking other students away if they got too close, and he finally reached his room, running into the closet and slamming the door shut. Then, he tried to calm the storm in his mind, no longer screaming, but rocking back and forth, his hands over his ears.

Everyone else had gathered in the back hallway, wondering what had happened and if the Institute was under attack. Upon seeing nothing, however, they became confused, looking at Scott and the three New Mutants for an explanation.

Erik was the first to ask, "What happened?"

"It was an accident," Bobby said quickly, hands behind his back. "I- We thought it was Kurt, and-"

"Thought… me," Kurt asked, surprised.

"-We threw the water balloons and they hit Jerry and he freaked out!"

"You _idiots,_" Jubilee snapped. "You didn't look before you threw?"

"Rahne was supposed to keep everyone else away," the iceman accused.

"Don't put all this on me," the Scottish girl retorted angrily.

"Quiet, both of you," Erik yelled silencing their arguing. Everyone, knowing who the man used to be, was instantly scared of what he might do next. He looked around at the assembled group. "Where'd he go?"

"Upstairs," Toad said, rubbing his head. "The guy nearly tossed me down the steps with his mind!"

"At least he's still in the house." He looked over at Scott. "What did you see?"

"I… I don't know. It was like his fear was visible; it was like a cloud of… something."

"Static," Sam spoke up. "It was static." Everyone who wasn't there didn't know what a cloud of static was supposed to look like, but they could tell it didn't sound pleasant.

"He's probably scared," Erik said. "And most likely has sought asylum in his room. I will go up there with-" Rogue ducked behind Lance, hoping not to be noticed. "-Jamie."

The young mutant looked up in surprise. "Why," Jamie asked.

"You're his friend; he trusts you," the older mutant replied; he may not spend much time with the students outside of training, but he could observe them, and knew who was friends with who. "And you're his age... more or less. Come; the rest of you stay down here, and you two," he added to Bobby and Sam, "I'll deal with you later." Turning, Erik led the lone mutant towards the stairs, leaving the collect group standing in the hallway.

The door to Jerry's room was open, the lights still on to reveal the empty room. Erik and Jamie cautiously walked into the room, listening and looking for any sign of the scared teen. For a second, they couldn't tell if the teen was in there, but then heard a small noise coming from the closet. Erik nodded, and they cautiously walked towards the door. Upon another look from Erik, Jamie cleared his throat.

"Uh… Jerry," he asked through the door. "Are… are you in there?"

There was silence on the other side, save the occasional rustle. However, they heard the Texan reply, "Yes."

Erik and Jamie exchanged looks. "Uh," Jamie continued, "well… Mr. Erik and I are both outside your door… We came to see if you were okay."

"I am not okay," Jerry replied, his voice still monotone, but sounding slightly frightened. "There was water… and my music. Where's my music? Where is it?" He sounded almost frantic at the last question.

"Do you mean your headphones," the younger mutant asked.

"Yes. Headphones. I was listening to _Phineas and Ferb_. 'Summer Belongs to You.'" Jerry still spoke quickly, using his familiar short-sentence speech pattern that Jamie was accustomed to.

"I know that cartoon," Jamie said. "Do you like it?"

"Yes. It's funny, but in a clever way. And it's creative. I must've dropped my headphones downstairs."

"What's a Phineas and Ferb," Erik asked Jamie.

"It's a cartoon," Jamie explained. "It's about- It'll take too long to explain; just know it's pretty popular, and Jerry likes them."

"Yes," Jerry agreed through the door. "They're smart, and build all that cool stuff. I wanna build something like that someday. Not as a career; just for fun."

"Technically, you can," Jamie told him. "With your powers, you could probably build whatever you want to in the backyard."

"But it's not summer yet," the Texan protested. "It's seven months away, so I can't build a roller coaster until then."

"Keep talking," Erik whispered to Jamie. "He sounds like he's calming down.

Jamie nodded, figuring it seemed like a smart idea. "So… Jerry," he said, "wanna come out of the closet? It must be pretty dark in there."

"And quiet," the Autistic teen added. "No loud noises, no sudden moments, and no bright lights. Need it to calm down."

"Really?"

"Yes. I got scared. I was just walking down the hallway, and-" What followed was the teen's attempt to replicate the noise of getting hit with a water balloon. "I saw who did it; it was Bobby and Sam."

"And they'll get in trouble for what they did," Erik spoke up.

"Good," Jerry said. "I don't like water balloons."

"Why," Jamie asked curiously. "They're pretty fun; especially during the summer."

Jerry was quiet for a few moments, and Jamie wondered if he'd said something wrong. Eventually, however, the Texan spoke again. "They used to throw water balloons at me back home."

The young mutant frowned at that. "Who?"

"Bad teens." There were more rusting noises from the closet. "Used to laugh and point and make noises." the teen's voice grew louder and almost angry, surprising his friend. "Bobby and Sam are bad."

The two visitors exchanged grim glances. "But… it was an accident here," Jamie told him. "Bobby and Sam didn't mean to hit you, and they didn't mean to scare you. Everyone likes you here; we're your friends!"

"Not Rogue and Logan," Jerry said. "They don't like me. They don't smile when I'm with them, like friends do, and Rogue keeps saying that I need to 'act normal' in school, but I don't know what normal is. Professor Xavier said I'm not normal, given my abilities, so how can I be normal?"

Jamie turned to Erik, slightly worried. He wasn't prepared to talk about the proper time to be oneself or how to act around other high school students. Jerry was known to either stay on one speaking topic for minutes at a time, or quickly move from topic to topic; right now, it was the second option, and what he was talking about was out of the young mutant's depth. The teacher looked just as confused, but the young mutant decided to continue talking.

"Well," he started, "I think she means that…" He hesitated, then got a sudden idea. "What do _you_ think normal is?"

"Doing something and no one thinks you're a freak," came the reply a few moments later. "But… I can't seem to do that." More silence. "Thank you for talking to me; I feel better now, and less scared."

Jamie, however, felt worse, knowing this new fact about his friend. He was also mad at Rogue, who he'd notice duck out of view earlier to avoid coming up here. However, he turned back towards the closet door. "I can't say much about the normal stuff; I'm no expert. But… I don't think you're a freak, and I know that no one else here, even Logan and Rogue, don't think you're one either. You can do pretty cool stuff with your imagination; you could build a roller coaster in the backyard if you wanted to. That'd probably be normal around here!"

The closet door slowly opened, and Jerry slowly emerged, not looking at either Jamie or Erik. His hair was still damp from the water balloon, and his eyes were red from crying, but otherwise, he looked fine. "So I'm normal," he asked, picking at the carpet. "Here at the Institute?"

Jamie nodded. "Yes. And don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

"'No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,'" the Texan said.

"Eleanor Roosevelt," Erik replied, and the teen nodded. "So, would you like to come back downstairs?"

"No," Jerry said. "I wanna stay here; it's quieter, and there aren't any water balloons. Also, I wanted a quiet place to spend the evening; it's pretty loud downstairs."

"That's true," Jamie said. "It's usually crazy most Friday nights."

"Then I'll stay up here," the Texan said, standing up and heading towards his side of the room. "I still have some English homework to work on. But I need to get my headphones."

"I'll get them," his friend said, starting towards the door.

"It's fine; Professor Xavier said I should try being more independent," the Autistic teen replied. A dog suddenly appeared next to the teen's bed, and without hesitation, left the room, presumably heading downstairs. "But what time is dinner?"

"About half an hour," Erik said, staring at where the dog had appeared in shock.

"Okay; I'll be down then. Thank you two for checking on me. Goodbye." He sat down at his desk, opened his notebook, and then started to work on his homework, all traces of ever being upset or worried gone. The two visitors gave each other a quick look, then quietly left the room, figuring there was nothing else for them to do or say. As they entered the hallway, the dog returned, carrying the teen's headphones in his mouth.

"Well," Jamie said after they'd made it far enough away from the door to be overheard, "that was... interesting."

"Yes," Erik said. "I've done research on what happens to an Autistic person when they get scared or upset; we were lucky it was easy this time."

"Do you mean it could've been worse?"

The man nodded. "Yes. But at least he's better now. That just leaves two loose ends to deal with," he added heading towards the stairs. Jamie started to follow him, but stopped, remembering something he'd just heard Jerry talk about in passing. Looking back at the now closed door, the young mutant knew what he had to do.

..

After Erik and Jamie had left several minutes before, Rogue went back to the Library to study. She felt relieved that she didn't have to do anything to help Jerry, mainly because she wouldn't have known what to do. Besides, based on what she'd heard Rahne tell the others, it sounded like the teen had been pretty upset. At least she could focus on her English homework now in peace.

The door to the Library swung open, and she looked up to find Jamie walking towards her. She was about to say hi to the mutant when she noticed his expression; almost accusing. It surprised her, seeing the multiplying mutant looking upset, and it stunned her into silence.

"What's wrong with you," he asked, stopping by where she was studying. "After everything we've all been through, especially you, you're shrinking from helping Jerry try to fit in?"

"What," Rogue asked, surprised by the accusation.

"We all have trouble fitting in with our powers, but just because Jerry does a few weird things every now and then, you're making him feel like a freak? I get that you don't wanna deal with him, but that doesn't mean you can't at least try to help him! You've taken on villains multiple time, so don't complain that it's too hard. Jerry deserves better, and as his friend, I expect you to act better." He then turned and left the room, the sound of the door closing echoing through the library.

Rogue was stunned; she hadn't been expecting anyone, much less Jamie, to walk in and accuse her of not helping Jerry. She did help him at school, making sure no one messed with him and that he didn't do anything crazy. For a second, she was mad at the boy for getting upset with her, but then she paused, thinking over his words again.

_I... I could do better,_ she thought to herself. _I mean, I hid from trying to help Jerry earlier tonight. What kind of a person does that?_ Yes, it wasn't exactly the wake up call she'd expected (or knew that she needed), but she was glad she got it. _I need to do better... and I will._ In fact, she even pulled out her laptop, pushing aside her homework as she went to the search engine, determined to look up everything she could about Autism.

* * *

**I figured that I'd need a more sadder/mellow chapter at some point, so I came up with this chapter. I'll try to have more action and super-hero stuff in future chapters, but I wanted to work up to that.**

**Feel free to follow or favorite this story to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. ****And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**Quick PSA: _PLEASE __DO NOT DO STUPID STUFF AND GO OUTSIDE UNNECESSARILY AND SPREAD GERMS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC!_ Seriously, you guys are awesome, and while being sick gives you more time to read fanfiction, it's not good for your or your loved ones. Thank you.**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own Phineas and Ferb or Summer Belongs to You in ANY way, shape or form!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, Readers and X-Men fans!**

**Here's another chapter after a long wait! You guys asked for it, and here it is! Chapter 10, which is a big milestone, as you know, so I wanted to thank all of you that read/viewed, favorited, followed, and left a review on this story. This chapter is dedicated to you all!**

**Also, yesterday, April 2nd, was World Autism Awareness Day. I'm sorry I wasn't able to post anything then, but I hope this makes up for it. Enjoy!**

**Also, 'cause I gotta be careful, there is the mention of blood and internal organs not being inside a body in this story, so heads up for squeamish people.**

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**Woods Have Great Hiding Places:**

"For once," Ray said, "could we have a _normal_ Saturday?"

"No," Logan snapped. "Now pay attention, or you're gonna lose!"

All the students stood outside the Mansion in the morning sunshine, ready for whatever training warranted them getting out of bed so early. Once again, they wondered if Logan had some sort of personal grudge against relaxing Saturdays, but they were too scared to say anything about it. The nearby woods that were a part of the property was spread in front of them, looking like a wall of green.

"It's not that intimidating you guys," Scott spoke up, having volunteered to help Logan with that day's exercise. "It's just hide and seek. As long as you stay hidden until noon, you should be fine. Logan and I'll try to find you, and you cannot leave the forest area or you're out."

"Can we hide in groups," Rahne asked. "Safety in numbers and all that?"

"If ya want," Logan said. "Makes it easier to find ya, though."

"And whoever remains hidden until noon gets to miss Monday's danger room session," Scott added, causing everyone to murmur happily among themselves. "However, if you're tagged, you're out; even if you hide in groups, it's everyone for themselves. You can use your powers to divert and disguise your hiding place, as well as reveal the location of others, but you cannot damage the woods. You have some snacks and water bottles, so don't worry about starving. Remember to stay hydrated!"You have thirty minutest to come up with a plan and hide, which starts... Now!"

Rogue looked around, not immediately running towards the woods like some of the students; they'd tire themselves out eventually. Some students, mainly the New Mutants, were going in together, taking their groups out of earshot as they came up with a plan. As she tried to think of a plan, she noticed Jamie was heading towards Jerry, who sat off to the side, examining the grass. Remembering her promise to the Professor, along with her unspoken one to Jerry and Jamie, she walked towards them, figuring she might as well see what plan they would come up with.

"We have monarch butterflies back in Texas," Jerry said, not looking up at either of them as they approached; Rogue noticed he was examining a small butterfly sitting nearby. "The ones here are pretty, though." He looked up at the two of them as the butterfly flew away. "Wanna be a team?"

"Yeah," Rogue said, checking her watch. "We bettah get goin' though; we have 29 minutes left to come up with a plan hide."

"How should we do this," Jamie asked. "The forest's huge; we don't have time to find a decent spot. And Logan's got good hearing." He looked over at the instructor several yards away, who simply smirked at the multiplying mutant.

"Then let's go somewhere he can't hear us," the Texan said, sitting down on the grass. Confused, Rogue and Jamie sat down as well, giving small yells as the section of ground they were sitting on slowly lifted into the air, the three of them sitting on a circular space with about a 12 foot diameter. Handles popped up from the ground, and the three mutants each grabbed one, steadying themselves as Logan and Scott watched the flat piece of earth fly into the air.

"Um… Jerry," Rogue asked, trying not to think about how high up they were. "What… what're ya doin'?"

"Getting an overhead view of the forest," Jerry replied, looking over the edge of the floating ground as it slowly passed over the edge of the forrest. "And making sure Logan can't hear us. The forest looks to be about three acres; lots of pines and oak trees. Isn't there a stream?"

"There it is," Jamie said, pointing at a blue line that ran through the forest, looking a lot calmer than Rogue was. "Should we hide by it?"

"Maybe," the Autistic teen replied, still memorizing the layout of the forest beneath them. "There's no cover by it; we would need something to keep us hidden."

"We gotta figure out a place where Logan can't find us," Rogue said, trying to distract herself from the terror of being up so high without being in a plane. "Scott'll most likely take one area of the woods, but Logan could sniff any of us out. Plus he's fast."

"Then we need to get as far from the starting point as possible," Jerry rationalized. "The more ground he has to cover before reaching us, the more tired he'll be."

"But if he knows we're flying," Jamie pointed out, "won't he assume that we're gonna go someplace far away?"

Rogue nodded. "You're right."

"Then let's deal with smell," Jerry said. "Find a place not too close to the start, not too far away, and mask our smells so he can't find us."

"How're we gonna do that," Jamie asked.

"We could kill an animal and smear its-"

"Let's _not,_" Rogue interrupted, trying not to throw up at the thought. "That might be too suspicious; hunting's illegal here, so animals don't just die and have their guts strewn everywhere."

"That is true," the Texan agreed, sitting up on the floating grass, looking thoughtful. "We could use mud."

"Mud?"

"Hide in a pool of mud; that'd pretty much keep us hidden from view and prevent Logan from smelling us."

"But we can't lay in mud for three hours," Jamie said. "And how would we breathe?"

"What if we didn't have to lay in mud," Jerry asked, looking up at the sky above them. "We cover ourselves in a thin layer of mud, enough to disguise our scent, and simply sit by the mud pit. If someone comes near us, we quickly jump in, and I can disguise our heads to look like logs so we don't get seen."

"Wait," Jamie asked, "can you also create imaginary forest animals?"

"Why," Rogue asked.

"Say if someone _does_ come near us; we use the animal as a diversion to draw their attention away from us," the multiplying mutant explained.

"Good idea," Rogue and Jerry said at the same time, both of them awkwardly avoiding the other's gaze as Jerry guided their floating earth down to the ground.

They walked through the forest, making their way towards the river, figuring there'd be mud by a water source. It wasn't a particularly hot day, but even after trudging for a few minutes, they started to sweat; their uniforms weren't exactly designed to be breathable. When they reached the stream, they all splashed some water on their faces and rested for a few minutes..

"It's a nice day," Jerry said simply, looking around at the calm day before them.

Rogue looked around, taking in the picturesque scene; the stream, the sunshine passing through the foliage overhead, and a few squirrels running up a tree nearby. It wasn't exactly her type of scene, but it was nice looking. "Yeah," she eventually said. "It's… nice."

"I like it," Jamie said, giving Rogue a small frown, as if implying that she didn't like the beauty of the scene. It was almost chastising, the way he said it, and it made the older teen frown as well.

"We have twelve minutes until they come looking for us," the Autistic teen said. "Should we wait, or cover ourselves in mud now?"

"Ah say wait," Rogue said. "We don't want it dryin' to us and crackin' in the heat."

"Okay." Jerry sat down by the stream, tracing the toes of his shoes on the surface of the water, seemingly oblivious that they were supposed to be hiding for their lives. He waved his hands over the water, and some of it mimicked his movements, as if he were bending the water.

"I wonder where everyone else is," Jamie said, sitting down next to the teen, watching him twist the water into different shapes.

"We should be ready in case any of them show up," Rogue suggested. "Logan said we're allowed ta snitch on other people hidin'."  
"That's mean," the Texan said, twisting the water into a miniature tornado shape. "Though if any of them come after us, we'll stop them."

"How?"

"We have our powers; we'll think of something."

"Why do ya seem so calm about this," Rogue asked him. "Ah mean, we're hidin' fer our lives."

Jerry actually laughed at that. "No we're not. It's a giant game of hide and seek. That's not scary at all." He let the water fall back into the creek. "My Nana used to say that fear likes to makes us think a certain way, but thinking another way helps us overcome fear. She's dead now."

"Oh…" Jamie and Rogue were momentarily silenced by the way he said the last sentence. "I… We're sorry to hear that," Jamie said.

"Yeah," Rogue agreed. "Do… do ya miss her?"

"Yes, but she's in Heaven, and someday I'll see her again." He suddenly turned to them. "Can we not talk about her, though? She's really humble and doesn't like people making a fuss over her." The two mutants were again surprised by the teen's words, but nodded. "Thanks." The Texan turned back to the creek. "We should get ready to hide soon."

A few minutes later, after using the water to make some mud, the three mutants were laying next to a pile of mud, their uniforms and faces covered in the cool earth. Rogue wasn't too bothered by it, and simply looked up at the leaves above her, the sky visible in small patches. It was easy to forget that they were training, and wished that she could enjoy nature more often. Jerry and Jamie lay nearby, also doing the same, and the Autistic teen hummed a song to himself, breaking the silence.

"What's Texas like," she suddenly asked, surprising herself and Jamie, who looked over at her with a mixture of praise and suspicion.

"What does it look like," the teen asked.

"No, Ah mean… what is the most beautiful place in Texas? Outdoors, like where we are now."

"That's easy. There's this field behind our house, and every Spring, it gets covered in bluebonnets, stretching as far as the eye can see. It's like the ground becomes an ocean, and event though they're only around for a month, it's worth it just to see it." He stopped talking for a few seconds, and they thought he finished talking, and jumped a little when he continued. "Sometimes… I'd climb this old oak tree near the field, not too high, and would stare out at those flowers for hours at a time. That rhymes. Flower. Hour. And it was always different each year; every year, a new picture. And the sunset over the field… I miss it."

"Wow," Jamie eventually said, wonder in his voice. "It sounds beautiful."

"It is," the teen replied. "Too bad I can't see it this Spring, unless I go back for Easter. Which I probably will. The sunsets here are beautiful, but Texas ones have some sort of charm. My mom says they're God's paintings; he creates them just for us, as a reminder that he loves us."

"That… sounds nice," Rogue said honestly, looking up at the azule blue sky shining through the trees. The way he described the field… she could see it her mind's eye.

A watch beeped, and was quickly shut off. "They're looking for us," Jamie said. "Time to be quiet."  
"Okay," Jerry agreed, and they all lapsed into silence, waiting for noon.

About an hour later, they risked a quick snack break, covering the wrappers in mud. The small mud pit sat nearby, and they had a few close calls when an animal broke a nearby twig, quickly jumping into the mud pit.

_It may not be a glamorous hiding spot,_ Rogue thought, _but it's pretty smart._ She started to think that they might actually win as they reached the second hour.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

The three of them quickly sat up and jumped into the mud pit, their heads poking out as they looked around for the source of the yell. They soon found it as they saw Amara and Rhane [the latter in her fox form] running across the stream. Logan appeared seconds later, chasing them down with lightning speed. Rogue felt Jamie grab her hand, probably because he was scared, and they watched Logan expertly run after them, tagging Amara before going after Rhane. Amara looked disappointed, and tapped the bracelet on her wrist, indicating that she'd been found, and sulked off. They waited another minute or two after they'd left, just to be safe that they wouldn't be heard.

"That was crazy," Jamie said, and Rogue frowned to hear his voice coming from behind her, and wondered how she was holding his hand. She looked over and gave a quick gasp as she realized Jerry had grabbed her hand.

"Hey," she hissed, pulling her hand away. "What's that for?"

"S-Sorry," Jerry stammered, looking away from her. "I didn't mean- You dropped your glove." Looking at her hand, she saw indeed that it had come off. "Here, I still have it."

"Just toss it," she started to say, but the Autistic teen had already reached out and placed it in her hand, his finger accidentally touching her palm.

Immediately, a flash of pain raced to Rogue's brain, and she gave a cry as she vaguely heard Jerry do the same. She could see bits and memories that weren't hers, playing rapid-fire in her mind. A field of blue flowers. An observation deck in a tall building. A school hallway, looking like a tornado had hit it. Then it was over.

Fortunately for both of them, they didn't touch for too long, so they didn't pass out or go crazy with their powers. However, Rogue blinked and looked around, suddenly noticing how loud everything was; the stream nearby wasn't deafening, but it was at a volume she found annoying. She also noticed that when looking around her, she tended to focus on one individual object instead of the whole picture. However, the feeling quickly passed, and she was back to herself.

She whirled on Jerry. "Of all the stupid-" And then her head was thrust under the mud by some unseen force.

Instead of choking, however, a small air pocket was surrounding her mouth, but she could feel her head was underneath the layer of mud. Gasping, she tried to stand up, but couldn't. She put her glove back on, eyes closed, and reached out her arm, trying to find out what was happening. She felt someone press something into her hand, and realized it was a piece of paper. Her air bubble suddenly became big enough to cover her eyes, and she opened them, finding a tiny light floating in front of them, surrounded by a wall of mud.

_Okay… Jerry's done it again,_ she thought, bringing up the note to her face.

_Logan is nearby. Stay quiet. Sorry for hand touch; I forgot. Jerry._

She stared at the note for a few seconds, reading it over and over again. Then, it faded away, meaning he wasn't concentrating on keeping it there again. Now that she'd cooled off somewhat [the mud may have helped], she started to debate whether or not she had been justified in getting upset with him.

Normally, when someone touched Rogue, they would fall unconscious, and she'd become overwhelmed by their memories and powers. Fortunately, she didn't this time, but it was still annoying. However, she knew she was supposed to be kind to Jerry, and tried to figure out what she should do.

_He **did** apologize,_ she thought.

_After he messed up. He knows that I can't touch anyone without things going bad, so why didn't he just toss the glove to me?_

_ He's still new; he's only been here a month. He probably forgot._

_ It's a pretty important thing to forget._

_ He has Autism._

And that was where it ended with Rogue. She knew that, no matter what he did or said, she couldn't get mad at him because he had a mental disorder. She thought it was unfair, having a disability that made people feel sorry for you, but then she thought about how Jerry viewed it, recalling what Jamie had told her last week.

_'You're making him feel like a freak,'_ Jamie had told her angrily. _'Jerry deserves better.'_

Jerry knew he was different from everyone else, and he also knew that he would never be like everyone else. Still, he tried to help others and make them like him, simply by being kind. He hadn't meant to set off her powers; it was a simple accident, and the fact that she'd blown up at him for making a small mistake made her wonder how mean she really was to people. As she pondered this, she suddenly was shot from the mud pit, landing on the ground nearby.

"Found ya," Logan said, and she turned to find the instructor standing nearby, one arm covered in mud. "Nice idea, hidin' in mud; I couldn't smell ya, but ya need ta learn how ta be quiet."

"Sorry," Jerry mumbled, flicking some mud off his hands. "It was-"

"My fault," Rogue interrupted. "Ah'm the one that made a noise." She looked over at Jamie and Jerry. "Ah'm sorry, guys. Guess we got trainin' on Monday."

Jerry didn't look right at her face, but he nodded, giving her a small smile. "I'm sorry too. And I forgive you."

"Yeah, same." She looked away, giving Wolverine a classic scowl. "Are ya gonna tag us or somethin'? And do we get points for creativity?"

"I'll think about it," he replied, tapping each of them on the shoulder [except Jerry, but the Texan knew he was tagged]. "Now go and wash up."

"We can do it here," Jerry said. "Tsunami!"

"Tsu-what," Jamie asked, seconds before the three of them were doused with stream water, all traces of dirt washed away.

"Okay," Rogue said, sputtering a little, "a warnin' next time would be nice."

"Noted," Jerry said, walking away from the group. "Good luck, Logan." The instructor gave him an odd look as Jamie and Rogue quickly ran after their friend.

"Wait, he grabbed your hand," Jamie whispered to her as they followed Jerry though the woods; apparently, he wanted to take the scenic route, and stopped every now and then to admire a tree or something.

"Yeah. Ah guess he was scared or somethin'," she replied. "Ah thought it was you at first."

"Wow," the younger mutant said. "He must like you."

The teen froze at that comment. "WHAT?"

"Not like that," Jamie said quickly. "I mean, he must trust you. He told me he doesn't like hugging or holding hands with anyone he doesn't trust."

Rogue gaped, her left glove suddenly feeling… different. "So… How come he trusts me? Ah haven't exactly been a best friend."

"Maybe because you're helping him at school. All I know is that he told me the only other people he'd hold hands with are me and his family." He frowned at her. "Did me yelling at you make you a better person?"

"Sure, short stuff," she replied sarcastically, rubbing his head and messing up his hair. "C'mon; let's go home." Yet as they followed the Autistic teen through the woods, she couldn't help but wonder why Jerry trusted her. It could have been a fluke, but…

She looked over at Jerry, who was making a small swirl of monarch butterflies appear on a nearby tree. He'd come up with the main idea of hiding from Logan, which nearly won them the competition, and he seemed too smart to make a mistake. Maybe… despite how she'd acted towards him initially, he _did_ find her trustworthy and, dare she say it, a friend.

_He sees me as a friend,_ she thought, walking through the woods for a few more minutes before realizing that earlier was the longest time anyone had ever held her hand.

**That's chapter 10! Kind of a mix of action and character development, but I hope it was worth the long wait.**

**Feel free to follow or favorite this story to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. ****And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**Quick PSA: _PLEASE __DO NOT DO STUPID STUFF AND GO OUTSIDE UNNECESSARILY AND SPREAD GERMS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC!_ Seriously, you guys are awesome, and while being sick gives you more time to read fanfiction, it's not good for your or your loved ones. Thank you.**

**-aggiefrogger**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey Readers!**

I know you have all been waiting for the next chapter in this story, and I'm sorry for having taken so long in writing the next chapter. If I'm being completely honest, however, I am currently having writer's block with this particular story. I'm having a hard time coming up with chapter ideas for this fic.

I'm sorry that this isn't a new chapter, and know that I will do my best to get a new chapter for this story out as soon as I can. I'm still working on my other stories as well, but I want to make sure that the chapters for every story I write work with the story line, and are enjoyable to you all as readers.

I hope you can excuse me if it takes me a while to post the next chapter; it hopefully won't take too long, but I have no time frame as to when the next chapter might come out. I will do my best to write a new chapter for this story, since so many of you have expressed your wishes for me to continue, and the fact that this story is close to my heart in a special way.

You all are just the best for reading and favoriting and following this story; you guys truly make my day when I see that you've read my stories. I'm sorry that you guys have to wait for the next chapter, but I want to make sure that it's the best chapter for you guys. Thank you for being understanding, and I hope you all have a great and safe week/weekend.

**-aggiefrogger.**

**P.S. **I know that some of you will probably like to do this, but please do not send me chapter suggestions. It's not that I don't think you guys have good ideas; I just prefer to come up with a new chapter and write it all on my own. If I ever get to a point that I would like suggestions, then I will ask for them. But for now, please don't send me them. Thank you.

**Quick PSA: _PLEASE BE SAFE AND CAREFUL IF YOU__ OUTSIDE DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC!_ Seriously, you guys are awesome, and while being sick gives you more time to read fanfiction, it's not good for you or your loved ones. Keep yourselves and everyone else safe and healthy. Thank you.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello, Readers!**

**First off, my deepest apologies for the long wait. Writer's block is a pain, and the worst part was that it only happened to this story. I know it has been a while, so I thank you all for being patient with me as I worked to come up with a new chapter. Which is why I'm giving you a multi-chapter storyline! You earned it after the wait, so without further ado, here is Part One!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**An X-Men Halloween: Part One**

"Halloween's coming up," Hank said, writing down his note during his latest therapy session with Jerry. "Are you excited for it?"

"Kinda," the teen said, organizing the items on Dr. McCoy's desk based on usefulness [the doctor didn't mind]. "I don't know who I'd go as."

"The sky's the limit, especially since you can alter your appearance at will."

"True, though just on the outside. I can't make myself invisible, though; I'd be blind, since the light would go through my visual receptors and all that… Maybe I could go as someone here at the Institute."

"Like who?"

"I dunno… Maybe Logan." Jerry laughed, altering his appearance to look like Wolverine, which was spot on, save for the grin on his face. "Hi," he said, changing his voice, but still keeping it comedic. "I'm Logan! I never smile and I have metal claws." He held up his hands, the familiar claws making their appearance.

Hank couldn't help but laugh as the teen transformed back into hs regular self. "Good impression, though it wouldn't be wise to be a teacher or student; they might get upset."

"Oh… I didn't think of that." The teen set the lamp in the center of the desk. "Then I'll figure something out on my own."

"No doubt you will." He checked his desk clock, which was now sitting on the right-hand side of his desk [it used to be by his computer before Jerry moved it]. "That's it for today."

"Thank you," the Autistic teen said, examining the rearranged desk ornaments. "Do you like it?"

"It's nice, though shouldn't the Newton's Cradle be over here?"

"No. It's the least useful desk item on here, but it's still science related, which is why it's by the stack of science magazines."

"I see… Well, thanks for rearranging my desk."

"Thank you for letting me rearrange it. I did that to Orroro's desk once, and she nearly zapped me with lightning." Jerry waved as he left the room. "Bye! I'll think of a costume!"

"Goodbye."

...

Halloween was a favorite holiday for all the students at the mansion; the younger ones got free candy while the older ones got to have a Halloween party without the younger ones interrupting. All the high schoolers would be staying up late at the Institute, watching scary movies and eating pizza while some of the teachers would take the younger ones trick-or-treating.

Jerry wasn't sure which he should do; on one hand, he wanted free candy, but he was now at that age where he was getting too old for trick-or-treating. However, he didn't want to watch scary movies, though pizza sounded good. Ororo said he could only choose one, since it wouldn't be fair to the other students if he did both. It took him a while to figure out what to do, but he eventually decided to stay at the mansion, deciding to focus on who he should go as. Besides, he figured he would have to watch a scary movie at some point, so he decided to try and watch at least one that hallowed evening.

On Halloween, Ororo, Erik and Professor Xavier took the New Mutants out for trick-or-treating half an hour before sunset. There was some trouble at first [most of the girls in Jerry's class study group had elected to go as Katniss Everdeen], but after sorting it out, they were off in one of the school vans, heading into town to collect the candy.

Meanwhile, back at the Mansion, Lance and Scott were trying to figure out how to connect the new sound system, aided by Hank. It was harder than it looked, and the three were doing their best not to loose their tempers.

"It's still not up yet," Kitty asked as she walked into the room, dressed as some pop singer.

"Wanna take over," Lance asked unhappily.

"Pizza's here," Rogue called from the hallway, careful not to trip over her costume's hem; she regretted letting Kitty choose her costume that year, and now she was dressed up like Mrs. Addams.

"What are we watching first," Evan asked, reading a book in the living room.

"I don't care, as long as it's scary," Tabitha said, lounging on the couch and watching the guys try to fix the stereo. "Why not read the directions?"

"We lost those," Scott said, trying to decide which wire went where.

She smiled, well aware that the instructions were underneath the cushion next to her. "What a shame."

"Logan, are you joining us," Kitty asked, noticing the teacher standing in the doorway.

"Nah. Just wanted ta make sure you guys aren't causin' too much trouble," he said. "And ya bettah not make too much noise."

"We make no such promises," Tabitha said seriously. The teacher grumbled at that and left, right as the trio managed to fix the sound system.

"Has anyone seen Jerry," Jean asked.

"Didn't he go with the younger kids," Lance asked.

"I didn't see him leave," Scott said.

"Ah'll get him," Rogue said, setting the pizza on the coffee table. "Ah'm gonna cut this damn hem to my ankles."

"Don't you dare," Kitty snapped. "You look great!"

"I'm here," Jerry said, walking into the room. "Do you like my costume?" The teen was dressed as, unsurprisingly, Elton John, complete with fake glasses, tall shoes, and a suit with so many sequins on it that Kitty couldn't help but give a gasp of admiration. It was green, the teen's favorite color, and they could see the Texan's smiling face underneath the fedora he wore. "And it's real; no powers or anything! Prof. Xavier helped me find it!"

"Wow," Lance said, pretending to shield his eyes from the glow of the outfit. "It's… something."

"I like it," Kitty said. "It's _so_ chic!"

"At least it's betteh than mine," Rogue said, tearing off the hem of her dress.

"The sound's working," Evan said. "We've got the pizza and soda. What should we watch first?"

"_Thursday the 12th,"_ Tabitha suggested, taking out the hidden instruction manual from its hiding place, tossing it onto the coffee table.

"Not now; not until it's really dark outside." Scott grabbed the manual, giving the fellow mutant an annoyed look. "_Yell_ isn't a bad movie."

"I say we watch _None,_" Toad said.

"Have ye eveh seen a horror movie," Rogue asked Jerry, having been told by Jamie that the Autistic teen was apprehensive about watching a scary movie.

"I saw _A Quiet Place_ in theaters," he replied, carefully selecting his desired slice of pizza to put on his plate. "It was awesome, especially the parts with no sound at all. Inspired me to learn sign language briefly."

"Oh… how far did ye get on that?"

"I sprained my hand two weeks in, and couldn't play the piano for a while, so I gave it up." He sat down in his seat. "I'll only learn it if I have to, say if my hearing goes or something."

Eventually, the group decided to watch _The Sheen,_ grabbing their junk food and choosing their spots as the movie began. It was PG-13, since not all the teens were old enough to watch a rated R movie, though Logan and Xavier still stopped by occasionally to check that the movie was okay.

The movie was scary; it followed a group of teens being attacked by a creature of some sort, the movie doing its best to stay within its parental guidelines. At one point, they had the camera focus on something off-screen so they couldn't see the poor teen being attacked. Everyone seemed to be liking the movie, gasping and screaming at all the right parts, laughing at the occasional corny joke.

Everyone except Jerry. He sat stone-face during the whole movie, nonreactive to any of it, and as soon as it ended, he went straight up to his room.

"Looks like someone doesn't like horror," Lance snickered, earning him a furious glance from his girlfriend.

Rogue was about to offer to go check on him [though she wanted to stay and watch the next movies], but everyone was surprised when Logan said, "I've got this." He finished his drink, heading for the stairs.

"... That was…" Kitty started to say.

"Unexpected," Evan said. "Logan voluntarily going to check on a student? Are _we_ in a horror movie?"

"_Invasion of the Logan Snatchers,"_ Tabitha snickered.

"Don't pick on him," Xavier said, rolling into the room. "He is a teacher, after all."

"I got first-degree burns during our last training session," Lance said.

The professor smiled. "He's still cares about all the students here… in his own way."

* * *

**And that was Part One! Stay tuned for Part Two!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to follow or favorite this story to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. ****And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**Quick PSA: _PLEASE __BE CAREFUL AND SAFE WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE!_ Seriously, you guys are awesome, and while being stuck at home gives you more time to read fanfiction, it's not good for you or your loved ones. Keep yourselves and everyone else outside safe. Thank you.**

**-aggiefrogger**

**Note: I do NOT own Elton John, Mrs. Addams or A Quiet Place at all.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey everyone! **

**I'm back with the next chapter and final part of the Halloween arc! I hope you enjoy!**

**aggiefrogger**

* * *

**An X-Men Halloween: Part Two**

Logan made his way towards where Jerry had run off to, wondering what he was supposed to do next.

He disliked Halloween; it was the one night a year that the students had an excuse to act out, in the name of tricking others. So far, he had nearly been hit by four water balloons and nearly sat in several whip cream traps, but he had sent Iceman packing with the promise of extra Danger Room sessions. He also hated dealing with whiny trick-or-treaters, which was why he stayed behind at the Mansion to chaperone the older students. Plus, he could still drink and watch scary movies, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

Logan had been around when _The Sheen_ had first been released some forty or so years ago, even seeing it in theatres. It was a good movie, given the visual effects of the era, and it wasn't that scary when compared to what was playing in theatres today. However, throughout the movie, he couldn't help but notice that one of the teens wasn't enjoying the movie like everyone else. He didn't even need to look to see who it was when they left; he could tell it was Jerry.

Jerry was still a mystery to Logan; the Texan was improving in his self-defence, and he hadn't brought another monster to any training sessions, but he was still… different. Not in a bad way, mind you, but Autism wasn't exactly a subtle mental disorder, and he couldn't help but notice the teen's behaviors, despite living in a building where everyone's unique genetic code made them stand out. Anyway, when the teen left the room after the movie, Professor Xavier had given him one of those looks that usually meant, "Time to step up as a teacher." So he grit his teeth and went after the teen, trying to think of some uplifting thing to say.

He found the teen in the Library, sitting in the middle of the room with a book. If Logan hadn't just seen him downstairs, he would have assumed that he had been reading in there all night. The teen had taken off his hat and glasses, though his outfit still shone in the overhead light, like he was wearing a disco ball. Hesitating, the teacher opened the door further.

"Take it ya didn't like the movie," Logan asked, knocking on the doorframe.

"Not really," the Autistic teen replied, already half-way through whatever book he was reading. "I thought I could, since Dr. McCoy told me I should try something new that isn't dangerous or stupid, but I have decided scary movies aren't my thing."

"Too scary?"

"Too unnecessary as well. The world has enough scary stuff; why add an actual monster to it?"

Logan was once again struck by how insightful the teen was; maybe even more than Rogue. Though Rogue didn't come out and say how she was feeling or thinking, heaven forbid. It was what she _didn't_ say that gave away her thoughts.

He somewhat cautiously ventured into the room. "What're you reading?"

"Nothing in particular. I'm just flipping though the pages." He set aside the book, grabbing another one. "I read the happy parts that are my personal favorites, and there aren't any monsters. That wasn't a good movie, no matter how many good reviews it has." He looked up at Logan. "I'm sorry for being scared."

"Why would you apologize for that," Logan asked, surprised.

"Because you always say in training to not show fear," Jerry explained, looking at nothing by the teacher's left ear. "And I am certainly showing fear now. At least I_ think_ I am."

"That was more for not letting your enemy know how scared you are," the teacher explained. "If they know ya get scared, they can use that fear against ya."

The teen nodded a little, his expression still neutral. "I see. So I am allowed to be scared… I just can't_ look_ scared."

"Yeah."

"Okay. But you're not _really_ my enemy, even when sparring."

"Of course not. Why would ya think otherwise?"

"The other students seem to have a bizarre love-hate relationship with you," the Texan said simply. "They respect you a lot and listen to your advice, yet they constantly talk about you behind your back and try to get around one of your many rules."

"Yeah," Logan said, frowning a little at the memory of all the failed pranks from earlier.

"Yet Professor Xavier says you care the most out of all the teachers. He said you would do anything to help a student in need, and have done so. Some of the students say the same." He looked back at the small pile of books next to him. "Maybe some Jules Verne would be uplifting."

Wolverine was surprised to hear this. He knew that Xavier sometimes stretched the truth to make him seem more friendly to new students, but hearing that other students were saying the same thing was news to him. For a second, he wondered if the teen was lying, but Jerry had no reason to lie, and he didn't appear to be lying; he was good at telling when someone was lying or not.

"Well, I just came up ta check on ya," Logan eventually said. "Figured that monster movie scared ya or somethin'."

"It did," the Autistic teen agreed. "One of the scariest monsters I've ever seen. Top five for sure."

"Really? Top five? What's the scariest?"

Jerry's expression became serious, and he picked up a book, avoiding all eye contact. "I don't wanna talk about them," he muttered.

"Them," Logan repeated, noting the Texan's change in attitude. "Who's -

"I don't wanna think about them," the teen said loudly, slamming the book on the ground in front of them, hands shaking. "They're too scary. Now I have to watch cartoons or something so I don't think about them." He even grabbed the sides of his head, as if trying to force whatever thought he was having from his mind.

"Fine," the teacher said, holding up his hands in surrender; he wasn't sure he was making anything better, so he figured he would go back downstairs and send another teacher up. "We won't talk or think about whoever -"

"Why not tell him," a voice questioned, coming from the entrance to the room. Jerry looked at something behind the teacher, the blood draining from his face. Hair seeming to prickle, Logan turned around, his claws automatically coming out of his knuckles, but he paused when he saw who it was.

Three teenagers stood by the door of the library, all staring at Jerry. They didn't look like anyone he recognized, and were dressed in regular high school student attire; jeans, jackets or hoodies, tennis shoes. Two of the guy stood back a little, making the one in the front, who had a unsettling smile, look like he was the leader. Instantly, Logan could tell they weren't good teens. This was confirmed as behind him, the Austistic teen started to breathe heavily.

"No," he muttered. "You're… not really here. You're back in Texas!"

"Are we," the lead bully said, slowly walking towards them, his cronies in tow. Wolverine stepped back, raising his claws as he prepared to defend Jerry. Whatever this was, it was clear they were going after Jerry. "You're the one with the nearly perfect memory. No matter how long you try to forget, we're always gonna stick around."

"NO," Jerry shouted. "GET OUT OF HERE! I WANT YOU _OUT!_" Around them, some of the books on the shelves started to shake on their own, some starting to fall to the floor. Logan could only guess that the teen was going to get upset at any moment, and all hell would break loose.

"We ain't going anywhere," one of the cronies said, laughing idiotically.

"Yeah," his friend agreed. "We wanna show you a new trick. Wanna see?"

"NO," Jerry yelled, and Logan, probably by sheer luck or years of dodging attacks, he ducked as a book went flying across the room. The head bully caught it before it could hit him, tossing it aside.

"Jerry," Logan said, "whatever this is, just snap out of it." He figured these bullies were just figments of the teen's imagination, but for some reason, the Texan was having trouble getting rid of them. "Everything's gonna be fine. They're not real, they can't hurt ya."

"Can we," the lead bully asked, smirking at the teacher. "If he can't pull himself together enough to get rid of us, then who's gonna stop us? You?" His friends snickered at that.

"I will," Wolverine said, ready to defend Jerry and himself.

"Fine," the bully said. "Have it your way!" His face suddenly morphed into the head of the movie monster, snarling and baring sharp teeth.

Jerry screamed as the lead attacker leaped forward with uncanny speed, his friends now sporting similar monster heads. Wolverine managed to kick him back, just as the other two bullies ran forward. Jerry screamed again, and all the books on the shelves suddenly went flying, most of them heading for the trio of attackers. Logan dropped to the floor as a wave of books and hit the two teens, knocking them back. Dozens and dozens of hardbacks and volumes swarmed the trio of monsters, sending them flying across the room.

"Jerry," he yelled, pulling back the claws on one hand so he could grab the teen by the arm; he didn't care if the teen didn't like physical touch, they needed to get him out of there. "C'mon!" He pulled the teen to his feet, both maneuvering around the hundreds of books on the ground as nearby, the bullies zoned in on them, roaring angrily.

"They're awful," the Autisitc teen muttered, tripping over some books as he followed the teacher to the library door. "They won't go away… No matter how hard I try..."

Logan slammed the door behind them when they reached the hallway, trying to figure out what to do next. Whatever was going on in the teen's mind, he needed to stop thinking about these bully monsters before they went after anyone else. The Autistic teen in question sat against the opposite wall, hugging his knees and staring at the library door with fear.

"XAVIER," he yelled, right as a hand punched its way through the door, reaching out for Jerry as the teen screamed, and the lights above them to go out.

* * *

**Rogue POV:**

They were just starting the next movie after a lively debate over which one to watch when they heard Logan scream from upstairs. Everyone froze, looking up at the ceiling with confusion.

"Is he trying to prank us," Evan asked.

"Maybe," Kurt said.

"He's not joking," Professor Xavier said, holding the side of his head. "Something's wrong with Jer-" The sound of something breaking echoed through the mansion, and everyone instantly jumped up, running for the main stairway. Rouge nearly tripped, so she kicked off the stupid high heels Kitty had given her, glad to be rid of them.

Right as they made it to the main foyer, Logan came flying over the rail of the second floor, nearly taking out the group as he crashed to the ground, sliding across the floor before hitting the front door. Someone screamed, but before anyone could react, some… thing leaped from the upstairs, teeth bared.

"Get down," Scott yelled, shooting a beam of energy from his eyes, hitting the creature square in the face and knocking it off course. It hit the stairwell, tumbling down the stairs before stopping at the ground floor, motionless.

"Is that," Kitty said, noticing how familiar the creature looked. "It's from the _Sheen_ -"

"There's two more upstairs," Logan said, climbing to his feet and holding his ribs. "Jerry can't seem ta get rid of them."

"Can you do something, Professor," Jean asked, the man in question frowning with a look concentration on his face.

"No… His thoughts are too panicked and chaotic," Xavier said, opening his yes. "He's too terrified to think of anything else. They'll stay here until he either gets rid of them on his own -"

"Or falls asleep," Rogue finished, vaguely remembering Jerry mentioning it once. She knew what was coming; if the Professor couldn't mentally put him to sleep, then he would ask -

"Rogue," Scott said. "Do you think you could -"

"Yeah, Ah got it," she said, slightly annoyed. "Though Ah ain't goin' up there without help."

"Agreed. Kurt, could you teleport Rogue and Evan up there?"

"Got it," the blue mutant said. The three teenagers grouped up, and in a small flash of light, were gone. They reappeared in one of the upstairs hallways, and they were all immediately on guard. There was no monster in sight, but they could hear scuffling noises coming from the next hallway.

"Keep behind me," Evan said, taking the lead as they crept towards the other hallway, ready for any attack. Rogue took off her gloves, mentally preparing herself for whatever memories she would glimpse in Jerry's mind. Finally, they reached the corner leading into the next hallway, peering around to see what was there.

The hallway didn't look like the mansion hallway; instead, it looked like a school hallway, given the rows of lockers on either side. The edges of the hall were blurry, as if it were a mirage, and it was reasonable to assume it was part of Jerry's imagination. The mutant teen himself was curled up on the ground in the middle of the hallway, covering his ears and rocking back and forth. Two more of those monster things were stalking around him, keeping their distance, saying something to the scared teen while occasionally hitting one of the lockers, causing Jerry to flinch.

"What's the plan," Kurt whispered.

"Get me close enough to knock him out," Rogue replied. "Evan, can you take them?"

"On it," the spiky teen said, holding out his hands and growing sharp-looking spikes from his hands, ready to throw them. They waited a few seconds, and then Evan ran forward, throwing the spikes at the creatures, hitting each of them. The monsters turned and snarled at him, immediately abandoning Jerry and running for Evan. Kurt put a hand on Rogue's shoulder and transported them over to Jerry, who was muttering something to himself, shivering and crying.

"Once he's asleep, take us outside," she told the blue mutant. "Cover me in case those things come back." Then, steeling herself, she placed her hands on the teen's head.

Jerry's mind hit her like a hurricane, nearly knocking her back. She managed to keep her hands on him though, draining his energy while trying to stay focused. Throughout the normal slideshow of memories she saw whenever she read someone's mind, one memory in particular kept surfacing in Jerry's mind, taking over everything else.

"Just go to sleep," she muttered, not sure how much time had passed. "Remember… remember what your Nana said. Think another way, get over the fear." She remembered the Texan telling her that the day of the hide-and-seek competition, but she saw a memory from Jerry's eyes, saw an old woman with greying hair telling him to not be scared.

Somewhere beyond the din of memories, they heard Evan yell, followed by the sound of something hitting the wall.

_"NO,"_ Jerry yelled, the resurfacing memory taking over the world, along with Rogue.

[]

_It was a few weeks after school started. Jerry Matthews was at his locker, listening to music to block out the sound of the loud conversations the other students were having around him. It was time for lunch, so everyone was meeting up with friends. The Autistic teen, meanwhile, was putting up his books, humming along to the song. _

_ The hallway quickly cleared, leaving the teen by himself, or so he thought. Usually, he would be heading for the cafeteria by now, but he realized one of his books was missing. He looked through his backpack, making sure he hadn't forgotten it, then turned back to his locker to see if it was behind some of his other books and items. _

_ The bullies approached him, the leader yanking off his headphones while another one pushed the teen to the ground. Jerry was scared, getting up and trying to take back the headphones while the trio played keep away. The whole time, they were laughing and mocking him, giving him the occasional shove. The Autistic teen was upset, trying to get them to stop, but they wouldn't. He wished he could stop them, get them away from him and shut them up. _

_ He was still thinking that when he finally screamed, and the hallway moved around them. _

_ Every locker slammed open, and everything from books to pencil to backpacks and locker decorations flew out, as if a tornado had hit the school. The bullies paused in their game, scared, but they had no time to run before the wave of supplies hit them, sending them flying down the hallway. Jerry was confused and scared, not sure what was happening. He wanted it to stop, he wanted to avoid getting hit by anything. _

_ And then a knight in silver armor appeared in front of him, holding up a shield and blocking the debris from hitting him as the wall of school supplied attacked the bullies. Paper cuts appeared on their faces, books broke their bones, a pencil imbedded itself in one of their foots. They were screaming now too, trying to prevent themselves from being attacked. _

_ Finally, Jerry had enough, and everything fell to the floor with a crash, ruined supplies littering the hallways. The bullies fell to the ground, crying and bleeding and bruised. The knight in front of him stood up, looking around for any danger. Then, it turned back to Jerry, bowed to him, and said -_

[]

"GO TO SLEEP!"

Jerry finally passed out, and the monster bullies, the hallway around them, and the knight that had appeared a few seconds earlier all vanished, revealing the Institute hallway. Rogue fell to the ground as well, already starting to go unconscious. Vaguely, she heard Kurt yell something, and saw Evan standing up, looking like he had nearly lost a fight.

Rogue looked up at the ceiling, the memories that were not here starting to fade. She could still feel the fear and confusion that Jerry had felt that day, though she noticed that she had felt something else in that memory. It was small, hidden under the trauma of the situation, but it was still there.

It was hope.

* * *

**Xavier POV:**

"I wonder how he remembered it," Charles said, hands placed on either side of Jerry's head, eyes closed in concentration.

The group of teachers were gathered in the medical bay, where an unconscious Jerry lay, fast asleep. Rogue had woken up a while before, and after a quick check, was deemed fine and sent to her room to rest.

"His parents are the ones who asked me if I could alter his memories so he wouldn't remember the day he discovered his powers," Professor Xavier continued. "Jerry kept seeing those bullies, which is the reason his parents called me for help. I had to use Cerebro to block the memory."

"I think I know," Hank said. "He mentioned once that he accidentally touched Rogue's hand, which made him briefly remember events from his past. He said it wasn't anything he could focus on, but it might have been strong enough to bring it back up."

"I never could get rid of that memory outright," Professor X confessed. "It was a pivotal event in his life, one that revealed his mutant status. And now…" He removed his hands, opening his eyes. "I don't think I can do it again, even with Cerebro; that memory is too strong."

"So what do we do now," Orroro asked, giving the student a worried look. "Will those… things return when he wakes up?"

"I don't think so. I can erase the memory of that horror movie he watched. Hopefully, it will make things easier when he wakes up. I think Hank will have to help him through this in their therapy sessions, and I will start working with him to help control his emotions and thoughts. None of the students should treat him any differently than they did before tonight; the last thing we want to do is ostracise Jerry." The adults all agreed.

"I can't help but feel responsible," Logan spoke up, his arm in a sling and a bandage around his head. "I asked him about what scared him the most, and that's when those creatures appeared."

"You had no idea what he would say or what would happen," Eric reminded him. "There's no need to cause a fuss."

"It will be fine, I'm sure," Professor X said, turning back to the teen. "I will call his parents, let them know what happened, let them know what our next steps are." He wheeled towards the door. "Hank, will you let me know if his condition changes?"

"Yes," he replied, going over to the teen and checking his pulse. "Who's gonna tell the other students?"

"I'll do it," Logan volunteered. "Includin' the ones that were tick or treatin'; lucky none of them were here."

"Indeed." After that, the other teachers filtered out, going through the rounds upstairs and making sure everyone was fine. There was no evidence of damage from the attack, besides a few scratches on the walls, but they would fix those tomorrow. Still, everyone had trouble falling asleep that night, not sure if another monster would show up and attack them.

Jerry, however, was out like a light, dreaming about a knight going on a journey to save his kingdom.

* * *

**So this was a short story arc, only two chapters, but I figured with the reveal of how Jerry discovered his powers, it would work best in two chapters instead of one extra long chapter.**

**More to come soon, but I don't know how long it will be until my next chapter. I will be going back to school near the end of August, so I cannot give an exact time for when my stories are updated. I will try my best to update them when I can, but please be patient with me. I am grateful for you all liking this story so much, and I will try my best to get new chapters out to you all, no matter how long it takes.**

**Feel free to follow or favorite this story to be updated on new chapters, and feel free to leave a review on this chapter or others if you want. ****And, as usual, have a safe and happy week/weekend!**

**Quick PSA: _PLEASE __BE CAREFUL AND SAFE WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE!_ Seriously, you guys are awesome, and while being stuck at home gives you more time to read fanfiction, it's not good for you or your loved ones. Keep yourselves and everyone else outside safe. Thank you.**

**-aggiefrogger**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello everyone!**

**I hope you're all doing well. I'm sorry that it's been a while since my last update, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Fear of the Unknown**

"He's doing it again," Kurt said, standing in the doorway of Professor Xavier's office late one night, well after curfew.

Professor Xavier sighed, a pang of sadness in his chest. "Danger Room," he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Go get Dr. McCoy, please." The blue mutant nodded, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

It had now been a week after Halloween. All damages to the Institute had been repaired, as if it had never happened. However, everyone, even those who were out trick or treating, knew what had happened, and were practically walking on eggshells. No more monsters appeared, but everyone still was wary and ready for one to appear. None more so than Jerry.

Jerry hadn't said a word since that night, and avoided being in large groups with people. Most of the time, he stayed in his room [he refused to go to school, and none of the adults made him go], listening to his playlist of music from beginning to end on repeat. When he did leave his room, he was always accompanied by a knight that silently followed him and stood nearby; he did not play the piano at all in the past week. No one questioned this out loud or asked him to send it away; if it made him feel safer, no one would take that from him.

Several times a day, even in the middle of the night, Jerry would go down to the Danger Room, taking his comforter and pillow with him. He would lay in the middle of the floor, wrapped in his blankets, and would project the night sky onto the ceiling above him. The knight sat nearby, as still as a statue, watching the autistic teen watch the stars. It was a peaceful scene, and after a while, Jerry would fall asleep. This sometimes became a problem if any of the other students needed to train, and after a week of having classes outside, some were starting to grumble, especially given the cold weather. Even his homework group [it was no longer a punishment for the Mr. Rogers fiasco] was getting annoyed, mainly because they had a test on _To Kill A Mockingbird_ next week and had a lot of questions to ask Jerry.

Kurt and Hank McCoy reappeared in Professor X's office. "Jerry," the bigger blue mutant asked.

"Yes," Professor X. "I know it's late-"

"It's no problem," the scientist mutant agreed. "Danger Room?"

"Yes."

"I'm on it." Hank sighed. "If I may, Professor, it's been a week already and we're not making any progress."

"And some of the other students are complaining about not being able to train downstairs vhen they vant to," Kurt added. "And… I'm vorried too. Jerry sometimes leaves in the middle of the night, and he skipped mass this past Sunday; he _never_ misses church."

"I know and I agree we need to do something," Charles Xavier said sadly. "We need to figure out how to move forward; if we let this go on any longer, it will become a habit, and Autistic children thrive off of habitual practices."

"But the trouble is getting Jerry to stop without upsetting him," Hank explained. "He's clearly worried about the monsters coming back."

"Vait, you said people vith Autism like habits," Kurt asked. "And don't they also become fixated on one thing for long periods of time?"

"Yes," the scientist replied. "He's currently fixated on what happened on Halloween to think of anything else."

"Then ve need something that vill occupy his attention and keep it," Kurt continued. "And I think I might have something that vould vork."

[]

"A musical," Jerry repeated, still looking up at the night sky.

"Yes," Hank said, sitting on the ground next to the teenage mutant in the Danger Room. "Your school is planning on putting on a production of _Hairspray_ in early February. Auditions are a little over a week away, and rehearsals start after Thanksgiving break."

"Yeah, doesn't it sound fun," Kurt asked, wary of the knight that was watching him from a few feet away.

"Why would I do a musical," Jerry asked, finally looking in their general direction.

"Well… you're such a good singer," Hanks said, smiling a little. "And even if you don't want to perform on stage, they could probably use a piano player for the music."

"Kitty and Rogue were in the musical last year," Kurt added. "They vere really good, and are planning on auditioning for this musical as well, so you von't be alone."

"I've never been in one before," the Autistic teen said, squeezing the stress ball in one hand as he turned back to the sky above him. "It sounds like fun."

"Yeah, and it would probably be good for you," Hank continued. "Get back into school."

"But what if the monsters appear again," the mutant asked. "What if they appear on stage and hurt someone?"

Hank and Kurt exchanged worried glances. If Jerry continued to think about the monsters, the more likely they were to appear, and he would never be able to relax again. Even without saying anything, they both knew that right here and now, they needed to help Jerry get over his fears and help him move on; the time for waiting was done. Desperate, the scientist tried a new approach.

"That knight protects, you, right," he asked, pointing to the silver-clad knight that was keeping watch nearby.

"Yeah," Jerry said, nodding a little. "Makes me feel safe."

Kurt nodded, figuring he should say something. "Vell… it sounds like you're scared right now," he said, sitting down next to Jerry. "Mainly about something that may or may not happen. I understand vhat that is like; it is a scary feeling, not knowing the future." Jerry nodded, silent and thoughtful. "But God doesn't vant us to vorry about thing ve cannot control. He vants us to focus on the now and on Him, but He knows ve sometimes need help, which is vhy ve pray to Him for help."

"_Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference,"_ the other teen quoted. _"Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time._ My mom has that printed out and framed in our house."

"Exactly," Kurt said, grinning a little. "You cannot spend the rest of your life living in fear. Do you think God vants you to do that?"

The Autistic teen squirmed a little, a thoughtful expression on his face. The knight turned to face the teen, the helmet preventing Hank and Kurt from seeing what their face was like. Eventually, Jerry sat up, still wrapped in his blankets.

"I don't want to be scared," he said. "And the musical sounds like fun. But… it seems easy to be scared. I can't stop thinking about those bullies, and if I think about them too long-"

A low growl came from somewhere in the shadows, and the knight instant jumped up, sword drawn and shield ready. Jerry flinched, and his breathing started to quicken.

"Jerry," Hank said firmly, trying to get the teen's attention. "Jerry, look at me; focus on my voice." It took some coaxing, but the Texan slowly turned to face him, still looking frightened. The scientist held out his hand [not wanting to startle him], and the teen took it, holding it in a vice-like grip. "It's going to be okay. Nothing's going to hurt you."

"I-I-I know," Jerry stammered. "The k-knight will-"

"No, because you're not going to make the monsters appear," Hank interrupted gently. "You're going to send them away, and you won't let them bother you anymore."

"I… I c-c-can't," the teen said, flinching at another growl that came from the shadows. "I can't f-forget them."

"Even if you can't forget, you don't have to let them take control," Hank said. "Your mind is an amazing gift, and you have the ability and strength to not let scary memories keep you from living your best life now, and you don't have to be scared of losing control and hurting anyone. That is why you are here at the Institute in the first place; so you can learn how to control your powers and use them for good. You don't need a physical knight in order to be safe or keep other safe."

Looking briefly at the knight, Jerry nodded. "Y-Yes," he said. "So… what do I do?"

"Do not focus on the past; focus on the now. Look forward to the future, at how your hope and dreams are going to make you a better individual."

"_Do not be afraid,"_ Kurt quoted. "You are not alone in this."

Jerry nodded, closing his eyes with a look of concentration on his face. He almost seemed to be praying, and the two other mutants could only hope that he was taking their words to heart. There was a few more growls from the shadows, but they were suddenly cut off, as if silenced by an invisible muffler. The knight seemed to relax, lowering their sword and turning back to the Autistic teen. Seconds later, the soldier disappeared into thin air, along with the starry sky above them.

The Texan opened his eyes, which were a little teary. "They're not gone from my mind," he said slowly, "but they're staying in my mind. You're right; I'm not gonna focus on them anymore. I will focus on the future, I will audition for this musical, and I will not think about them anymore." He hesitated. "But… if I start to have trouble-"

"Ve'll be there for you," Kurt said, smiling at him. "All of us here at the Institute vill help you through it."

"And I'll continue to offer counseling, if you'd like," Hank said.

Jerry nodded, and let go of the mutant's hand, getting to his feet. "What time is it," he asked.

"Nearly midnight," Kurt answered.

"I should be going to bed; I have school tomorrow. And I have to ask Mr. Logan or Tabitha if they could drive me to confession tomorrow, since I missed mass on Sunday."

It almost surprised Hank and Kurt to see Jerry now acting as if nothing had happened. They were not upset by it, however; they had helped their friend overcome his fear, and he was clearly ready to go to school. However, as the Autistic mutant was about to leave, he suddenly stopped, he turned back to Kurt and Hank.

"Thank you for helping me," he said quietly, not looking either of them in the eye. "And.. I'm sorry for skipping school and keeping you up so late."

"It's fine," the scientist said kindly. "We're a family here; we would do anything to help you."

Jerry tilted his head to the side a little, a slightly confused expression on his face. "Family," he repeated.

"Yeah," Hank said. "Friends are also family, and everyone here at the Institute is family."

"So… who would you two be in the family," the Autistic mutant asked. "And who would I be?"

"Vell, I vould say Professor Xavier is the father," Kurt speculated. "Orroro's like a mother to everyone. The other teachers are uncles, and all the students are brothers and sisters."

"So we'd be brothers?"

"In a vay, yes."

Jerry looked around, a small smile on his face. "I've never had a brother before," he said. "And having a brother that can teleport is pretty cool."

"Yeah," the other teenage mutant agreed, smiling as well. "And you're an awesome roommate, too."

"Thank you." He nodded once. "Well, I have to go to bed. Goodnight." And on that note, he turned and walked out of the Danger Room, as if nothing had transpired between them.

Hank let out a huff of breath he wasn't aware of holding, and Kurt slouched a little too. "I'm glad we were able to get through to him," the scientist said, not sounding or trying to be mean; he was simply glad that Jerry was feeling better. "And he has enough talent to get into your school musical."

"Yeah," Kurt agreed. "I'm just glad I do not have to audition! Stages and me do not mix vell!" Laughing a little, the two mutants walked out of the Danger Room, turning off the lights behind them.


End file.
